Hush Hush
by tsukitaiyo
Summary: At the arrival of Miyake Souta tensions run high and blood begins to pour.Zero finds that he has his hands full with this new student and even Kaname finds that he is suspicious of him.But what can you do about a vampire who just doesn't want to listen?
1. Chapter 1

Vampire Knight -

_Not much to say really. _

_At the arrival of Miyake Souta tensions begin to run high and blood begins to pour. Zero has his hands full and Kain is ordered to face up to the past, how far will Kaname allow it to go before he steps in. multiple pairings (including male/male)_

_This is my first Vampire Knight fic, I hope you enjoy and please review._

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Vampire Knight - Hush Hush

Chapter One

Ichijou thought that maybe Kaname was under a bit of stress recently…and he wished he could find a reason why.

Maybe he'd over looked it? Maybe he made a mistake…? Did Kaname make mistakes? No…no he didn't…he made balanced decisions…which made Ichijou's heart sink further into his chest.

The rest of the residence at the Moon Dorm had noticed his gloomy mood, for some reason he wasn't saying anything, which was unusual for him…and quite frankly the gloom was beginning to affect the others, and yet they'd no reason why. Three days had passed, Ichijou remaining in sweet denial and in silence when Hanabusa Aidou finally decided that he'd had enough…the gloom was affecting his sleep.

"Speak, Ichijou! I've had it with this, will you just tell the rest of us what's wrong!" Aidou dropped back his head as he rested upon the settee, the glass of fake blood shattered like ice to the ground, causing Kain to sigh at Aidou's usual recklessness.

Ichijou turned around, his green eyes lost in some deep thought. He heaved a sigh, suddenly dramatic in his movement and shook his head. "I…I can't…"

"Is your grandfather coming to visit again?" Kain asked in a leisurely voice before Aidou could say anything.

Ichijou shook his head with a kind of thankful bout before his demeanour became grim again and he skulked towards the settee and sat down opposite a clearly un-amused Aidou and an indifferent Kain. Aidou sighed and rolled his eyes, staring at Ichijou with his eyes bustling with annoyance.

"Miyake Souta will be joining the Night Class."

Kain choked almost violently on his blood, covering his mouth as he began to cough, Aidou patted him on the back as confusion marred his features and Kaname walked down the stairs.

"Kaname-sama," Ichijou said respectfully. Kaname reached the bottom of the staircase as Kain climbed onto his feet and turned away, wiping his mouth and taking a deep breath, slightly embarrassed.

"I didn't intend to surprise you, Kain." Kaname voiced his apology and Kain turned to nod his head in acceptance.

Aidou stared dumbfounded…"Who is Miyake Souta?" he voiced looking again over at Kain. "Apparently Akatsuki knows him."

"Kaname -," Kain was about to begin his protest when he caught Kaname's eye and decided against it. He lowered his head and took another heavy breath as he put down the glass onto the table and ran his fingers through his hair almost nervously…Aidou raised an eyebrow, suddenly even more annoyed than he had been prior to the first answer he'd been given.

"Miyake Souta isn't exactly the most…gracious of vampires…" Ichijou began trying to find the right words as he was in Kaname's presence and didn't want to insult the one who'd allowed Souta into the school.

"He's a vampire who hates humans," Kain stated. "He's vicious and violent and is disrespectful to anyone who is above him in status, and that's a lot of Nobles and Purebloods considering he's at the very bottom."

"Eek, you sound bitter. Bad experience?" Aidou inquired as he watched Kain's usually warm eyes become cold and cruel. Kain glanced at him and Aidou felt a small flicker of heat against his face…he turned away and looked back towards Kaname and a twitching Ichijou.

"Kain still harbours some aches from a previous meeting with Souta," Kaname began casually. "The truth is that although he is at the bottom of the Social Standing Nobles, his mother is reasonably respected. I expect that he receive the same kind of treatment as the rest of us whilst here…the reason as to why I've decided to accept him here at the Academy is due to the fact that his mother wrote me a letter directly asking that I consider allowing him into the company of not only other vampires but humans as well. He's been very isolated from both sides, which is why he's so disrespectful - as Kain put it."

"But why is he at such a low social standing? I've never heard of him before…" Aidou wondered, resting his head on his arm as he tried to think through all of the faces and all of the names of the noble families that he knew of…and indeed Miyake was not one of them.

"He's a bastard," Kain said. "No one knows who is father is, he isn't the heir to anything and because of that he was outcast from the others…His mother still refuses to name the father until this day…"

"And although Souta-kun is known to have Noble blood and he's strong and it's obvious that his father was of a higher stature, because his mother chooses to keep it a secret he's been terribly ridiculed." Ichijou sighed, he still felt the deep gloom looming over him, he'd met Miyake Souta only once before and he didn't plan on doing so again…he wondered what kid of carnage he could do? What type of chaos he would cause at the school? Would Kaname-sama be able to control him or would he have to make certain that he remained true to the Academy rules as he'd had to do in the past with other such disturbances to their little world.

"Why won't she say? That seems rather unnecessary." Aidou complained.

"Because," Kain began. "He could be your brother. He could be my brother - _heaven forbid_ - he could be the brother to anyone of us."

"Oh…adultery!" Aidou now realised the full scale of it. "What a scandal."

"That's exactly why Miyake-san decided to keep it a secret. The father probably doesn't even know." Ichijou sighed and dropped his shoulders. "His attitude really doesn't help him though."

"Then why let him come here?" Aidou asked what was on everyone's minds, yet caused Ichijou to flinch and Kain to mummer something inaudible even to their vampire ears.

All eyes turned anxiously to Kaname for the answer which soon followed.

"Miyake Souta has always been undermined because of petty social gossip and left out of almost anything to do with the Blood Council, along with his mother. I intend for such things to cease, if he is to be a member of this new peace in which we are trying to create then he needs to begin somewhere. I'd rather it be here were I am able to keep an eye on him."

And so it was Kaname's word against the rest of them…Kain felt as if he'd lost at least half of his sanity already as he muttered to himself and skulked off to his room having recalled his previous meeting with the black-haired brute of a vampire…of course that had been when they were barely children…maybe he was being a little too petty?

Ichijou supposed that although he felt greatly at unease about Kaname's decision he knew that he was right…they needed to give Souta a chance…he'd met him only once and for a brief period of time…he didn't notice anything wrong with his behaviour as he was…but there was something so very unsettling about Miyake Souta that made him wish that he would never have to be in his presence again.

Yet it seemed that in only a night's time he would have to greet this creature once more and welcome him to the Moon Dorms.

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"I have news!" hailed the chairman as Yuuki and Zero entered his room, Zero already wishing to leave, and Yuuki having to pull him back although she herself had been reasonably caught off guard by the chairman's astounding outburst…it was apparent that he was rather…_cheerful_ about something.

"What is it?" Yuuki inquired stood ahead of his desk, noting that it was full of papers, which was unusual. Zero stood silently off to her left, uncaring, his hands in his pockets and eyes gently shut. Oblivious to the world, probably as he preferred it.

"We have a new transfer!" the chairman cheered. "And look at how pretty he is!" armed with a photo the chairman rested over his desk and practically shoved the small headshot into Yuuki's face. She took one look at it and had to agree, but there was one problem.

"He's a Night Class student…?" Yuuki pointed out, someone couldn't look like that and not be. Zero peered through an eye with his lips pressed together and his face creased into a frown, that was all he needed, more vampires.

"Oh you noticed!" the chairman clapped his hands and brought the photograph down onto the file, the sharp topaz eyes staring up at him coldly, despite their warm colour. Still the chairman wouldn't let the fact that this cold and apparently angry vampire somehow reminded him of Zero and was simply glad to have another student attend his academy. In fact he felt very proud.

"Otosan…you remember what happened the last time that we let in a Night Class student, don't you?" Yuuki leant forward and whispered, gesturing towards Zero with her eyes, trying to be discrete.

"Yes…we'll have to be extra careful this time…" the chairman replied, equally as quiet, only causing Zero to inwardly curse the fact that he continued to put up with them. "But you see, this one was actually a direct request from Kaname-kun, that's why I'm excited."

"What makes him any different from the rest of them?" Zero muttered harshly from his distance from them. The chairman and Yuuki glanced in his direction before the chairman continued.

"As Kaname put it, Miyake-kun is a special case. Kiriyuu-kun may be interested to know that I have some special bullets for him."

"What? He's allowed to _shoot_ him?!" Yuuki cried, almost entirely outraged by it, standing back in annoyance as she noticed the strange glee in Zero's eyes as he suddenly became interested in what was being said. "I can't believe this…" Yuuki pouted, watching as the chairman reached into his desk and pulled out a small cardboard box and slid it over the surface of his desk towards Zero.

"Explain!" Yuuki demanded, scowling between the both of them.

"Well as it so happens Miyake Souta-kun hasn't really got a very good reputation among the nobles…and insistent on keeping him out of trouble his mother even had them moved very deep into the middle of nowhere." The chairman shrugged as Zero opened the box to examine the bullets. "The reason why Kaname-kun wishes for Souta-kun to be accepted here is because he is unruly and his mother doesn't wish for him to be excluded any further…but because of his behaviour, Kaname-kun has given me permission to use such force against him if he is not there to provide it in order to keep Souta-kun under control."

"You're actually letting him into the school if he's like that?" Yuuki felt baffled, as if all that she'd been trying to prove to herself over the years was about to blow up in her face again…of course she knew there were bad vampires and good vampires, just like there were bad people and good people…but to actually allow an apparently violent vampire onto school grounds didn't really fit into her beliefs…she wondered what Kaname was trying to prove?

"Yes well that's why Kiriyuu-kun has those bullets." The chairman continued. "They won't kill him - of course not - but they'll subdue him enough so that if he becomes a threat that he will be easily taken care of. But only if it is totally and absolutely necessary - understand, Zero?"

Zero nodded his head and the box of bullets vanished into his jacket pocket. Yuuki still reasonably numbed by the conversation felt dread beginning to creep up over her at the idea of this new student; it began to sound like an awfully bad idea.

"Do you expect one of us to show him around the academy tomorrow?" Yuuki asked, she wasn't hopeful, actually she was pretty nervous. Zero was back to his indifferent self and the chairman went back to adoring his folders of all of his prized Night Class students and sorted the new student into his collection.

"No, Kaname-kun and I believe that it's probably best left to one of their own. So your Guardian duties are the same as always tomorrow night - obviously keep an eye on the situation, but try to be discrete."

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Much to his dismay, Kain had been the one who'd been appointed to greet Miyake Souta after Ichijou somehow managed to graciously back out. He remained in dark solitude throughout the rest of the night and found it difficult to sleep as he waited the coming night that rested like a heavy weight upon his shoulders.

Aidou still didn't see the fuss about it; in fact he was looking forwards to seeing a new face around, and to meet someone who managed to spur some different emotions in Akatsuki that he found amusing. Kain on the other hand was very far from being amused…he was almost certain that in someway this was a cruel form of punishment…but he felt that this was a little too far fetched. This was just a greeting, not punishment.

He arrived at the chairman's office a little after dusk. The others had gone to class and he decided he might as well make an appearance. He knocked on the door, realising that it wasn't very often - if at all - that he spent any time in that part of the academy. Soon enough the chairman called for him to come in and he did so, uncertain whether he was thankful or not that Souta was yet to arrive.

"Ah, Akatsuki-kun," the chairman looked to Akatsuki from the window with his usual gracious smile. Kain shut the door behind him and the chairman showed him that he could sit down and he did so promptly, feeling the dread steadily rising within him. "I hear from Kaname-kun that you and Souta-kun are already acquainted?"

Kain dropped his powerful shoulders, his eyes somewhat darted away for a moment before he focused again on the matter at hand. "Yes, well our mothers are _distantly_ related…he used to spend summers at our house as a child."

"Oh! I didn't realise that you were relatives." The chairman clapped.

"We're not." Kain replied almost bitterly, deeply in denial.

"Yes…well," The chairman paused, coughing into his palm to clear his throat as he turned back to the window. "Ah! Here he is now!"

A pair of deep topaz eyes looked up at the building through a heavy fall of black hair. His face was barred of any emotion, yet within his heart he felt a great amount of anger and betrayal. He could smell the blood all around him, as if taunting him, smothering him and calling for him…even dressed somewhat in the uniform that he'd been given - lacking the total neatness - he felt as if he was betraying himself, ignoring what he was. This angered him greatly…in the car over it had been bad enough, but now he was actually there and he couldn't believe the amount of hate he was feeling.

The subtle spring breeze swept his long hair from his eyes and his shoulders, not only that but brought to him another scent…the scent of someone lurking and watching…waiting for him to slip up.

His lips curled into a dark smirk, his head lowered and his eyes glanced to his right through the fall of his bangs. And there resting against a tree, watching him with an almost fearful intensity stood one creature he felt he could actually tolerate. A vampire hunter…not only that…but a vampire, at least an ex-human. He was bemused by this but found it almost intoxicating to think that someone could be so cruel as to do that to a hunter, inwardly he laughed shortly…outwardly he was thankful. At least there would be someone at the Academy who would treat him like what he was.

He said nothing, looked ahead again and moved on, but he would not forget that face and nor the name that went with it. "Kiriyuu Zero," he mused to himself, making certain that he wasn't too far out of earshot when said. "I hope we become good friends."

Kain stood up from the chair as the door opened to the chairman's command and in entered the transfer student. Of course a lot had changed in those long years…Kain realised that Miyake Souta was no longer the short, obnoxious child that he had been when they'd last met one another…he'd grown up, so much taller than Akatsuki could have imagined he would be, his hair worn long and shrouding his face…so much more dangerous, the aura was almost black around him. Akatsuki took his eyes away and clenched his jaw, the scowl apparent upon his brow…

Kain realised that the chairman was either totally ignorant of the air of death and hate that surrounded Souta or was playing it so cool that it made it look like he was. Either way, Kain knew that there would be some heavy trouble at the Academy due to this one single creature.

"How nice to finally meet you, Souta-kun," the chairman put out his hand as an offer of greeting, his face a friendly smile, but once he realised that this creature wasn't about to shake his hand he looked him in the eyes that were somewhat hidden behind those heavy bangs…he was pretty…older than he was in the photograph…and the look in his eyes was almost murderous.

The chairman stood back and returned his hand to his side, noting the slight irony at the necklace that his creature wore…the random silver beads upon the tight black lace that was looped around his throat, a small silver crucifix dangling from one of the strands.

"Well, Akatsuki-kun will be showing you around the school before you go off to class to meet the rest of the students. If there's anything you need of me, don't hesitate to ask, I'll do the best I can in order to fulfil your needs in order to make you as comfortable as possible here at Cross Academy." The chairman continued his smiling, feeling awful for thinking it, but suddenly glad that Kaname had allowed him to give those bullets to Zero, from the looks and general feeling he was getting from this vampire he felt as though they wouldn't be short of problems.

Souta glanced towards Akatsuki and a small curl came to his white lips and he raised his head so that his hair fell slightly from his seductive eyes. His eyes met with the chairman's and the smile grew…Akatsuki felt slight dread in his heart, wondering what on earth he could be up to.

"Thank-you, Chairman-Cross." He said kindly and slowly yet graciously bowed his head without taking his eyes from the chairman's. "I'll bare that in mind."

Kain left the room with Souta at his side, they were yet to say anything to one another, yet as they continued down the hallways, Akatsuki about to begin his half-assed attempt at a tour, he couldn't help but feel that although he was the one watching Souta, he was the one being sized-up, as if Souta was readying himself for attack.

"You've always been so tall, Kain…" Souta finally said, his tone leisurely, causing Akatsuki's frown to deepen. "I always remember having to look up at you, even now after all of the time that I've had to catch up with you…honestly, I don't mind all that much…I like tall."

Akatsuki tried not to listen, tried to pay him no heed, but no matter how he tried to ignore and pray that he wouldn't say anything else, he was only resting on false hope.

"Ne, Kain…do I have to call you senpai?" he chucked softly, deviously. "That would be adorable, ne, Kain-senpai? You don't still hate me, do you? You've had so long to get over it…" he sighed, trying Kain's patience that was already wearing so very thin. "I suppose being surrounded by all of these humans has made you soft, ne, Kain-senpai? Does one of them look like her I wonder?"

Kain felt his rage meet boiling point, anger burned in his already fiery eyes, his arm launching out to take hold of Souta, gripping hold of the front of his uniform and slamming him with a massive force against the nearest stone pillar. "You want to try my patience? Is that it, Souta? I swear I'll break your damn neck," and much as he said his hand closed around Souta's throat, able to feel the shape of the crucifix pressing against the flesh of his palm.

Souta remained silent for a moment or two, his head lowered, hair covering his eyes, yet the moment he looked up and met Kain's eyes a smile shone deep within them, causing Kain's fingers to tighten around his throat, baring his fangs furiously. Souta opened his mouth to speak, but held back momentarily, licking his lips.

"Would you, Kain-senpai?" he whispered, staring directly into Kain's eyes, his long slender fingered hand reached up and he placed it atop of Kain's hand as it gripped onto his throat. "Would you kill me?" Kain suddenly felt his hands beginning to tremble, his grip loosening on Souta's throat, unable to take his eyes away.

Souta's hands reached up and wrapped around Kain's neck as he fell slightly away, shutting his eyes. Souta smiled softly, reaching up and holding onto Kain's body, holding him in a gentle embrace, feeling the smoothness of his hair against his fingertips…thankful of not being pushed away.

"She saw what we were, Kain-chan…" Souta whispered, gently stroking the back of Kain's smooth, fiery hair. "She saw what we were doing…we made a promise, remember…? We made a pact…forgive and forget, Kain…forgive me, forget her…"

Kain shut his eyes and took hold of Souta's arms moving himself away from his embrace and shook his head. "Stay in the past, Miyake," he sighed walking onwards down the open corridor. "It's where you belong."

Souta dropped his shoulders and folded his arms. A small laugh broke his silence, causing Kain to stop in his tracks; Souta ran his fingers through his hair and bought all of his bangs from his eyes, his seductive topaz eyes glimmering in the moonlight that shone upon him through the openings between the columns.

"So noble of you, Kain-chan…I suppose all of these years you've been trying to convince yourself that you'd nothing to do with it…if you remember correctly it was you who I was trying to protect…it was you she saw."

"I don't need to hear it from you." Kain growled, turning around again, the distance between he and Souta seemed to have entirely vanished, Souta had gripped onto the front of his shirt and had pulled him forwards, he felt Souta's lips against his exposed throat, and became very still.

"It was just like this…I remember how I felt so strange when your lips touched my throat…back then I suppose we didn't understand…then you abandoned me, didn't you, Kain-chan? Is that why you hate me so much? Because it's easier to hate me than it would be to hate yourself?"

Souta brought his lips from Kain's throat and walked away around him, continuing down the corridor, leaving Kain stood motionlessly in the moonlight, his eyes staring at the nothingness ahead of him, questioning himself…the anger making way for guilt. He shut his eyes and stood up straight, about to turn around before he realised that they'd been watched.

He raised his eyes and they met with Kiriyuu Zero's. He stood a distance away but he'd seen it…Kain heaved a deep breath before he turned around, his face a picture of frustration and denial. He walked off after Souta who had apparently decided against the tour of the Academy and headed straight towards the rest of the Night Class.

Aidou rested back on the bench, looking up at nothing as he thought about the conversation he'd had the night before about the new transfer that Akatsuki had gone to meet. Aidou had never known Akatsuki to hold that kind of grudge before, or to make such a fool of himself…well, not really. He questioned Miyake Souta, he thought about where he'd stepped in, in Akatsuki's past in order to cause him to do something like choke out of shock of hearing his name.

Aidou sighed loudly and dropped his shoulders. It seemed hopeless to find a reason or even place Miyake Souta into Akatsuki's past…of course Aidou knew that he hadn't _always_ been around Akatsuki…not always…but they'd known each other for years and years…and not once had he ever mentioned Miyake Souta…somehow he felt maybe a little betrayed, but curious more than anything. Had Souta really had that much of an affect on him that not only would he be aggravated by the mentioning of him, _and_ so that he would never have mentioned him before.

"Something bad must have happened…" he mouthed quietly to himself with another depressed sigh.

"Something bothering you, Aidou?" Ichijou asked from the bench ahead of him.

"Akatsuki." Aidou sighed. "He's been acting weird." He dropped forwards, putting his head into his arms just as the classroom door opened.

They all expected it to be their hostile and unwelcome Vampire Hunter teacher...yet instead they were all awoken by the surprisingly murderous aura that swamped the chamber. All eyes suddenly looked up. Even Kaname was drawn away from the pages of his book.

A figure was stood ahead of the classroom; hands placed leisurely in his pockets, eyes glowing brightly from the darkness of his heavy bangs. His lips were curled into a smirk…the whiteness of his skin like snow, along with the hideous chill of his murderous aura caused tensions to rise in the room. Aidou stared at him, at his strange appearance, the length of his hair, the rise of his throat, the curl to his lips…it wasn't long after his arrival that Kain appeared behind him and shut the door, oddly taking his seat at the far end of the classroom.

"Seems I've managed to cause quite a stir of emotions." Souta chuckled softly; glancing over his fellow classmates…he spotted the one and only Kuran Kaname at the window, watching him. He bowed his head respectfully and began his introduction. "I am Miyake Souta, it is an honour and a privilege to be accepted into a class with such vampires as you, some more than others, but the privilege is there all the same. I hope that you'll take care of me while I'm here, either that or pay no heed to me, I'll try to behave myself."

If it was anything it was certainly not far from a sincere introduction, actually it seemed to trouble many of the Night Class. Ichijou took a deep breath, realising that he'd not been overreacting at the idea of having this creature here with them at the Academy…he had thought that Kaname had some kind of plan of action, but he only had his hopes to lean on for that.

Aidou was reasonably surprised…but after only this brief introduction he realised the reason maybe why Akatsuki had decided never to mention him again. But when he met Souta's eyes he felt suddenly drawn in. He swallowed hard, feeling a little nervous but excited, not fearful. He was caught off guard though when Akatsuki suddenly appeared at his side, sitting down heavily as if he was making a point.

Souta smirked and mock-pouted, going to take a seat ahead of them, near to a highly nervous Ichijou as the teacher finally entered the class room.

Yagari Touga had been informed of the new student. Yet he'd not heard of him before he couldn't say that he'd cared very much, but Cross seemed to be insistent that there was something to watch out for and that he shouldn't attack him _no matter what_…he hadn't really known what the Chairman had been yammering on about, he had far much more control than that…but then he had entered the classroom and almost at once his eyes were drawn towards the new member of the Night Class, just as Miyake Souta looked at him.

He felt somehow that this was going to be the beginning of a very interesting lesson, even more so than usual.

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Zero had been watching him all night.

The new Night Class student - even by Zero's standard - was different. Miyake Souta seemed to even have an affect upon the other Night Class students; he could see the tension, read the confusion on their faces…the excitement on some.

The Chairman - for once - had been right in giving him the bullets. He would most certainly be using them. Yuuki hadn't seemed to notice, not really, she was just as curious about him as any of the others were, but she hadn't noticed the strange infestation that rested within this creature…somehow seeing a creature like this among the Night Class gave him an odd sense of self.

He wondered how long it would take Miyake Souta to show his true colours. How long it would be before he broke out? Before he rebelled against the rules…before Zero could actually be of some use?

Yuuki had never approved of him being hostile towards the Night Class, that was obvious enough…yet after what he'd seen tonight, after what he'd already learnt, Miyake Souta obviously wasn't all that shy about being a vampire, or about being caught. Souta had known he was there every step of the way, glancing at him now and again with the curl of the lip…Zero wondered if he'd become the first target of this vampire, that would make it at least interesting.

"Spying on the Night Class, Zero?"

Yuuki walked over to him and sat down on the wall that Zero was stood against, staring obviously into the classroom. She looked through all of them, the backs of their heads and picked out Kaname-senpai before moving on and finding the new student which she assumed would be Zero's new obsession.

"Has he done anything, yet?" She asked, turning to look at a motionless and scowling Zero, it was as though he was his old self again.

She couldn't help but smile, even just a little.

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16


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews last chapter

Thanks for the reviews last chapter. Disclaimer and so on. Sorry about any mistakes, I've read over it as best as I can.

Enjoy, and please review some more, okay?

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Chapter Two

The night had been longer for some than others.

Akatsuki still felt greatly ill-at-ease…worse that he thought he would feel, certainly the anger had dimmed within him, yet became replaced with something darker and far more sinister.

He remained at Aidou's side, silent as they walked back to the Moon Dorms, his eyes avoiding Souta's although he walked just ahead of them, passing _gentle_ conversation between Shiki and Rima and himself. Kain didn't want to get involved anymore with Souta, he didn't want to have him anywhere near…yet he realised that Souta had such sinister intentions…he would not attack Kain but those around him in order to get to him…he worked through the heart.

Aidou looked up to Akatsuki's face, so grim and colourless. He wasn't used to seeing him like that…in fact he wasn't used to seeing very much from him over the recent years. He'd become so stoic and tried not to get in the way of others as much as he could, trying not to have an opinion…or at least express it. Aidou of course was almost the opposite…yet this look on Akatsuki's face, the way that his eyes seemed so sad, so troubled…he couldn't let this alone. There was something paining Akatsuki, that was obvious enough.

Once back at the Moon Dorms Akatsuki went right to his room, ignoring glances from Souta that Aidou caught and frowned. Souta then matched eyes with him and smirked before turning down to sit and join Shiki and Rima. Aidou on the other hand decided against it and went straight after Akatsuki, deciding that he needed to know what was going on.

Aidou shut the door behind him and looked over Akatsuki's back as he took off his jacket and rubbed the back of his neck. He took a heavy breath and went over to the bedroom window and peered out, folding his arms, ignoring Aidou.

Aidou put down his books and approached him, about to open his mouth and be loud…but he decided against it. He shut his mouth and looked aside, trying to think it through, but it seemed that he didn't need to say anything.

"Hanabusa," Akatsuki said, catching Aidou's attention. "Will you do me a favour?"

"Yeah…of course…"

"If…if Miyake comes up to you…while no one else is around…either leave or come and find me."

"Akatsuki -,"

"Please, Hanabusa…it's important."

Aidou found that his voice was caught in his throat. He had so many questions that he wanted answered, he felt that he needed to know what was bothering Akatsuki so much…and yet, even with all of this on his mind…one look at Akatsuki's saddened eyes caused him to fall almost entirely silent. He dropped his shoulders and sighed, nodding his head.

"…_hai_."

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"Kaname…I hope that you have a plan for him," Ichijou finally found the courage to voice as he stood alone with Kaname in his chamber. He watched Kaname's back as he approached his desk and undid all of the buttons of his uniform jacket.

Kaname looked over to Ichijou and nodded his head.

"Don't worry about it, Ichijou," he replied almost dismissively.

"But - what about Akatsuki-kun? He's clearly been greatly affected by Miyake-kun's arrival…" Ichijou's brows were creased, his eyes sad as he tried not to undermined Kaname's decision or his reply, but he was genuinely concerned about not only the safety of the Day Class students but for Akatsuki personal feelings. Things didn't seem right at all.

"Kain has some things he needs to face up to, as for the rest of the Academy, Souta will undoubtedly cause a great amount of tension, but he will calm down soon. He is riled at the moment…he did not wish to come here. He is probably searching to do something to make me send him home." Kaname replied calmly, approaching the window as he looked out to the last of the night, he realised that Kiriyuu Zero had done just as he hoped he would. Kaname did not wish for Souta to be a burden to Yuuki, Kiriyuu would not allow Miyake near her.

"Kaname…" Ichijou sighed. "He seems the reckless type…he will do anything to get you to throw him out of this school…"

"It's as I've said, Ichijou…don't worry about it. I've my very own arsenal at hand if need be."

"You do?" Ichijou raised a curious eyebrow as Kaname lifted a hand and a piece of paper, upon it appeared to be a phone number. "I don't understand…"

"I can stoop as low as him if need be, Ichijou. If the situation calls for it. Probably the only person in the world that Souta will respect. His mother." Kaname put down the piece of paper onto the desk and reached into his desk for some of the blood tablets to put in the glass of water that he'd brought in with him.

"You'd tell on him to his mother?"

"Yes. If need be, as I've said."

Ichijou nodded his head with the slight curl of the lip. He bowed his head. "Forgive me for doubting you, Kaname-sama. I meant no ill by it…" he voiced sincerely. Kaname nodded his head.

"Of course, Ichijou. Don't worry about it." Kaname said again, lifting the glass to the light of the fading moon as the clear water bled into red.

…………………………………………………………………………….

He was sure that he'd done it on purpose…

Zero watched him with careful eyes as he left the school, dressed in a long deep red coat, the collar and hood lifted up to shade his face from the sunlight. Zero's face became dark, eager. He didn't say anything to anyone, didn't greet Yuuki although she greeted him, and decided that there was nothing else to it. He'd have to follow him.

The town was bustling as he realised it would be. The blood scents of the meek little people that ran and walked and laughed around him in the morning sun jolted the predatory senses within himself…he'd tasted the blood tablets enough…he wanted the real thing.

He almost danced through the crowd. His grace and smooth, fluid movements caused eager eyes to watch him, to look up at him as he passed by, staring astonished as he glanced at them, his topaz eyes catching them in a vice if they looked too long.

To Souta it was only a bonus that he'd been followed.

He made sure to make it hard for him. _Ohh_ he would have fun, he couldn't sleep knowing that there were so many lively creatures near by, it almost tore at his very soul…and the way that these vampires lived…how they must suffer! He could barely control his thirst; hardly think of anything aside from it…other than how Kain had spoilt his fun during class.

He really hadn't wanted him _anywhere_ near Hanabusa Aidou…darling little creature that his was…adorable. _No wonder Kain likes him_…_I would taste him myself, Kain…but you want to, don't you?_ He laughed softly, finding a narrow alley, vanishing to the high rooftops as his mind dawdled back towards the matter at hand. The entirely delectable Kiriyuu Zero was entirely at his disposal…even with that pesky gun and those bullets…

Souta rested himself against the railing upon a roof, looking down at the alleyway where his little prey stalked…believing that he was the hunter. Souta smiled softly and vanished from the railing just before Zero could look up.

"Don't bore me, Zero…" Souta said quietly to himself. "I want you to catch me."

He lay back ahead of a rooftop that honed a large clock tower, looking up at its face as the morning steadily ticked on. He decided against remaining in one place too long…he worried that Zero wouldn't be able to find him…or if he did that it wouldn't be enough of a challenge.

Zero had lost him. He'd followed him through the streets, managed to avoid his eye, but there was no doubt in his mind that this vampire was very much aware of him and was hiding. He knew that to this vampire, this was some kind of game.

He circled the backstreets and climbed stairs wherever he heard a sound…but for almost too long he didn't see or hear anything aside from a few birds…then suddenly at the corner of his eye appeared a deep red blur, vanishing down a narrow pair of stairs between two buildings.

Zero was careful not to jump into anything, but he had to be quick, the vampire was toying with him and he needed to catch him and gain the upper hand. He didn't like the idea that he was being hunted.

He circled the fountain in the backstreet, the water overflowing into a crevice in the stonework and running along the outside of a building and into a pond a little further away.

Zero eyed the large empty space, noting the boarded up windows in all of the buildings that surrounded him. There were only two ways in and out of the space…either back up the staircase he'd come from, or there was a second narrow exit between two of the houses that loomed around him. He glanced down that pathway, it was closed above by the houses, and at the other end he saw a tall wooden fence.

He looked around him, up at the high buildings, noting the darkness that surrounded him, the sun not yet high enough to break through and lighten the shadows that were in the centre of these four-story buildings. He didn't see anymore light beyond the next walkway either. It was more than obvious that he was being led away from anywhere, far from the crowds and where people could see him.

Zero bared his teeth, anger flaring in his eyes. He didn't want to play games with this vampire, he was in no mood, and yet he followed the only other route through the buildings, he would catch him even if it took him all day.

As Zero thought, the way that he was being led only had two exits, the way he'd come and the single way ahead. He carried on going, the streets becoming narrower, taking stairs up and down, eventually climbing up over buildings and into towers, catching a blur of red from the corner of his eye every now and again, indicating that he was going the right way.

Souta was beside himself with joy! Finally someone who could offer him something other than crappy lectures and fake blood…someone who could offer him excitement, thrill of the hunt, the thrill to be hunted…to be in control. He watched Zero carefully; admiring the longing in his eyes, the deep hatred that rooted him to his past and the desperation to remain human…he wanted him. Souta wanted him. From the moment he'd seen him stalking him at the Academy the night before he'd wanted him…he just didn't realise that the opportunity would show itself so soon.

Was he breaking rules? He wondered. He knew that feeding from a human was breaking a rule…or at least killing was…but he couldn't remember if leaving the Academy during the daylight hours was…he shrugged…he didn't care. The more broken rules the better.

Then he finally had him.

The dead end had come and he felt now that he had his little silver haired mouse trapped as he'd wanted him. Souta stood at the far end of the small yard in the centre of the box of decrepit houses, and held his back to Zero as he entered, able to feel the heat as it filled the air, tasting it against his tongue. His lips curled into a smile, he turned his head slightly, catching a glimpse of him as he stood there, and lifted his hands to his face, and straightened the brim of the peeked hood.

"Oh look…it appears as though I've been caught…" he brought a hand to his mouth to mock-shock before he steadily turned around, only one topaz eye visible from beneath the fall of his hair. His lips curled into a smile, even more enticed as he watched the hunter's weapon of choice appear ahead of him, aiming at his heart.

"You know, guns are dangerous, Zero-kun. You could actually hurt me with that."

Zero held steady. He didn't waver, not once, nor did his staring and angry eyes…what made this vampire so different from the rest of them?

"Aren't you even going to humour me, Zero-kun?" Souta pouted, dropping his shoulders and raising his chin, exposing his long throat and the looped necklace with crucifix. Souta's single visible eye met with Zero's…watching him so carefully, able to feel the smooth beating of his heart against his fingertips as if he was stood right up against him…holding him.

"Nevertheless…thank-you for hunting me, Zero-kun." Souta smiled, much to Zero's confusion. "Its refreshing to be treated like a vampire again. I've already had enough of that '_lets-all-pretend-we're-human'_ shit, honestly, I'd rather you shoot me right here, right now…"

"What kind of game are you playing, Miyake?" Zero hissed, having heard enough of Souta's half-assed talking. Zero was ready and willing to shoot…and he needed was a reason, an excuse, anything…

"Game? Oh yes, game! I'm the mouse - is it nice to be the cat, Zero-kun? I bet it is. I miss being the cat." He sighed almost dramatically, wrapping his arms around himself and turning around again so that his back faced Zero.

"You don't make any sense…"

"No…no I don't." Souta replied, agreeing. "Well not to you, at least. I think sometimes…I think that…if I could…would I kill again?" Zero's reaction seemed to have been anticipated. "Don't look so surprised, isn't that reason enough? Because that's what you want, isn't it? A reason to pull that trigger…" Souta turned around again, and steadily began to circle, realising that instead of moving his weapon, Zero only moved his eyes, watching him, yet his body unmoving, even as Souta stood directly behind him, Zero did not turn.

"No? Don't believe me? Yes of course you do…all vampires are 'evil' aren't they? I hate that word - _evil_ - what the hell is that supposed to mean? Humans kill other humans every day, humans kill animals, actually they farm them, breed them, then kill them…I wouldn't like that…I like my blood to have been free range. Able to wonder…gain age, experience…"

Zero knew that he was being made a fool of, yet every moment that passed as he listened to this vampire speaking he realised he could have been shooting bullets. The only seriously annoying thing was that the bullets were the ones that the chairman had given him in anticipation of Miyake's violent behaviour. They would subdue him…but Zero didn't want him subdued, that wasn't enough.

"Oh I know!" Souta appeared ahead of Zero again, the same distance away. He narrowed his eyes and brought his hood down, exposing his whole face and long, dark hair. "Kaname, you don't like him either, do you? No, of course not…it's just so quaint how he believes that he knows everything. Haven't you noticed? I bet he knows exactly what's going on here, right now, don't you? But that's not really what I want to say to you, Zero…" Souta steadily began to approach, he did not take his eyes from Zero once, making certain they were watching one another almost intensely.

Souta stood ahead of Zero so that the gun was pressed against his breast above his heart.

"Can you feel that, Zero?" Souta whispered.

Zero thought that this vampire was only trying to frighten him with more games…but within the moments after having spoken, Zero felt a deep pulse shake him to the core. His body trembled from the sudden shock, his eyes broad, his body stiff. He could only see those topaz eyes staring at him.

"There…that's good…" Souta's hands snaked upwards, wrapping around Zero's as it held onto the gun, and took it simply from his fingers. Souta tugged at it and tore the chain, holding the weapon in his own hand as he lowered Zero's arm to his side. "This is why I love hunters," Souta sighed, still looking at Zero as he handled the weapon, pointing it at Zero, pressing it against his torso. "They don't take their eyes off me…so careful…don't loose sight of him…he'll get you while your back is turned…why wait?" Souta rested into Zero's torso…throwing the weapon aside, feeling Zero's stoic body like a statue ahead of him, those eyes so careful, so afraid, watching him, watching him so very hard.

"Why can't I move? Why? What have you done, vampire? Right?" Souta laughed, taking hold of Zero's chin between his thumb and forefinger, matching him in height. "I'll tell you what Zero…I'll tell you my secret. Would you like to know my secret?" Souta paused for a moment, his eyes hopeful and pleading. "Oh, you do?"

Zero felt as if his body wasn't really there…not that it was heavy…simply that it was nothing. He could not move. As if he was numb, and the only thing he could feel were those staring eyes. He wished he could fight, he wished he could move, but nothing, no movement or reactions, only staring, only watching and listening. He had almost no doubt in his mind that this vampire was entirely insane…and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Shizuka-hime…her scent is all over you…I think that's why I like you so much, Zero-kun…because you belong to her." Souta took his eyes away from Zero's, looking down towards the tattoo at his throat…running his fingers over it, able to feel the heavy pumping of blood at his fingertips. "I met her…it feels like only yesterday…but I know it was more than four years ago or so…she was crying…sakura was blossoming out of season…all over the snow in our garden…she was at the riverside, I went to her, and sat next to her…and you know what, Zero…she knew my name. No one knows my name - no one knows who I am. I don't belong anywhere. But she knew who I was…and I sat with her all night." Souta reached up from his memories and stroked the side of Zero's unmoving face, ignoring the intensity in his eyes, the burning hatred and resentment that flourished there in that single gaze.

Souta took a deep breath, his face becoming placid, gentle and somewhat genuine before he continued his story…his eyes watching Zero's lips carefully, wishing that he could taste them.

"She wouldn't tell my why she was crying, but that was okay…I didn't mind. We didn't need to talk either…but she asked me…was I happy? And I told her the truth…no. No I wasn't happy…my only friend hated me…I was weak." Souta's eyes moved up to join Zero's again, his hands either side of his face, pressing his body against Zero's so that there was no space between them. "Do you know what she did, Zero? Do you know what she gave me?"

Zero could see it all in his mind…he could feel the chill of the snow, smell the cherry blossoms…see her. His senses were shaken, his body was trembling, his heart thudding…yet he could see, he was watching it, the boy and the beautiful woman sitting side by side…there was a snowy river…a starry sky…Zero's throat ached, there was a deep pain in his heart and he saw blood…he tasted it upon his tongue.

"She was good to me, Zero…and I could never understand why…but she said to me '_take all that you can, Souta, it will give you a place in their world, if that is truly what you desire_'."

Souta pressed his fingers against the tattoo again, his eyes moving down to Zero's throat. He shook his head, his eyes sincere, true…sad.

"I never wanted that. I never wanted to be one of them…but is it so wrong, Zero? To want to belong somewhere?" Souta took a step back from Zero, his head lowered as he went towards the gun. He picked it up from the floor and lifted it to his head as if using it to rest against…he shut his eyes. "Why am I telling you all of this? Right? Why am I doing this? Telling you things that will make you mad…I know, that's foolish…I want to be Zero's friend. Oh…my face must betray me…I'm so sad, Zero…I never wanted Kain to hate me…but that's what happens…I don't want to be here with them. And you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to carry on doing these things as if I enjoy doing them…

"You think I'm insane, right? That's probably not far from it…I think I've started to believe that I'm really this person. But it doesn't matter." Souta lowered his head and the gun back to his side, approaching Zero he placed the weapon into his hands and took another step back. "It doesn't matter Zero…because you're not going to remember any of this. And the annoying thing is, although I really want to taste your special blood I won't…not yet…not now…but you're going to think I did. And you're going to carry on hating me…and hating me because of Shizuka-hime…but you won't remember that part.

"Good heavens, the things that I talk about…I must really sound like a fool…" Souta paused, running his fingers through his hair before he reached forwards again, putting his arms around a powerless Zero, and ran his fingers through his smooth silver hair. "Oh well…it's been a pleasure, Kiriyuu-kun…have a nice sleep."

……………………………………………………………………………….

Yuuki went to Zero's room many times during the day, between lessons and at lunch, but he wasn't there. She went to the chairman and told him, but he only told her the usual…not to worry, that he would turn up soon enough.

Of course she knew he would too, but when would that be? Would it be soon? More so than that, she wondered what was keeping him away, again?

She couldn't concentrate in class; she found it even more difficult than usual, she wasn't tired, she was too busy worrying, her grim aura affecting the rest of the class and making them restless. Yori was obvious to her strange behaviour, but the moment she realised that there were no eyes glaring at them from behind she knew it was because that Zero wasn't in class again.

"Is he sick?" she asked in a whisper as she watched the sensei explain at the head of the class. Yuuki lifted her head from the desk and looked to Yori and blinked, waking her mind out of its worry, before lowering her head.

"I don't know…" she replied. "I think he…he might be a little worried about the transfer student…"

"Transfer student?" Yori inquired.

"Mhm…there's a new student in the Night Class, Miyake Souta, I think that's what his name was. He arrived last night." Yuuki replied, lowering her head into her folded arms as they rested upon the desk. "He was just acting a little odd on patrol last night."

"More so than usual, eh?" Yori joked with the raise of her eyebrows. Yuuki smiled softly and shrugged.

"I suppose you're right…" she replied. "He's probably fine."

………………………………………………………………………………………

Kain opened his eyes again…he'd been unable to sleep peacefully, he continued to wake up only moments after managing to rest each time, it quickly became repetitive.

His mind was in turmoil about Souta, and now it was beginning to affect everything else too, even his sleep, which he felt he didn't get enough of anyway. He had jumped awake that time…he sat up in bed and rubbed his face in his hands, taking a deep breath and hoping to calm himself down…but he felt haunted…he felt blood upon his tongue and hands…but there was nothing there. Just a memory.

It didn't seem as though he'd be able to escape it as easily as he'd hoped. Without anything to remind him of what had happened that summer he'd not thought about it, but Miyake Souta…his arrival had stirred things in him…and he'd just wanted them to settle down again. He was beginning to feel terribly uneasy, stressed…his heart throbbed for the taste of real blood.

He hadn't confessed that to himself since he'd arrived at the Academy. But just to sink his fangs into something…to taste the warm flesh and drink warm blood…it sent shivers down his spine…there was such an emptiness in his soul that was yearning for it.

He sighed. He wouldn't let himself do that…he'd worked too hard.

"Akatsuki…"

Aidou's bright blue eyes looked at him through the darkness, lifting his torso off the bed having been sleeping on his stomach. He rubbed his eyes and watched Akatsuki's eyes as they moved from him and back down to his hands.

"You've been stirring all day." Aidou pulled himself up to sit and brought his legs under him to help him sit up, adjusting the sleeves of his pyjama top that had rolled up his arms. "Do you want to talk about it yet?"

Kain turned so that his legs dangled off the bedside and he got up and walked away, out of the room. Aidou pouted and took a deep breath, a yawn followed, and he winced slightly at the glow of the sun from around the curtains. He was about to give up and go follow him when the door opened again moments later and Kain walked in with a glass of water, coloured by the blood tablets. Aidou relaxed and watched Kain as he went back over to his bed and sat down on the side, holding the glass in his hands, looking down at the liquid as if it was poison.

"I don't know where I should start…" Akatsuki almost whispered, his brow creased.

"Start from the beginning." Aidou replied. "When did you meet Miyake Souta?"

……………………………………………………………………………………

Oh if you'd like you can tell me if you'd like to see any certain pairings. I'll do my best to try and fit them in. Review please.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank-you to all of you for reviewing the last chapter :) i'm enjoying writing this so i'm updating the next chapter already.

Thanks also to all of you who commented on Souta's character. I wasn't too sure about having an OC at first because usually they don't work too great, but i'm glad that some of you seem to think that he's a good character.

Also to those of you who gave me pairings thanks, the most popular i think is SoutaZero...followed by KainAidou, so i'll do my best to try and fulfil these requests. Thanks again. I hope you enjoy, and please review :)

……………………………………………………………………………………

Chapter Three

"We…we met when we were children…but it wasn't until much later that things got strange between us. We'd never really been entirely friendly…not really. I never mentioned him to anyone else, my father was always weary of him because he didn't want to get involved in the gossip…but my mother didn't care, so she'd take me with her sometimes to go and see Miyake Kaede-san…Souta's mother.

"I used to go because I didn't know any different…but the older I got the more I realised that there was something … different about him. I was always careful around him, but then one time I ended up spending a whole summer with him and his mother, the year that you went to Europe with your parents. I think we were twelve." Kain stopped for a moment, drinking down the substance and taking a deep breath as he put down the empty glass. He hadn't looked up to Aidou once since he'd began speaking, but Aidou was listening intently, hanging off his words and trying to grasp it all…he really found it odd to see Kain looking like that, so distressed and lost. It didn't suit him.

"We were there in the garden I remember…there was a girl, her name was Mai…I always remember her name…and she was wearing a yellow dress." Kain paused again and got onto his feet, walking to the far end of the room and rubbing the base of his neck, trying to think it all through. "She used to come to the grounds because her grandparents had a farm that backed up onto the Miyake estate…she didn't know it was someone's garden…she apologised…but we told her that she could stay…we didn't mind. So she stayed. She came back and forth over the summer and there was something softer about Souta whenever she was around. He was always careful if he ever had to touch her, he'd hold onto her to stop her from falling yet he always seemed to handle her like a porcelain doll…as if she could shatter at any moment.

"I thought that he might have a crush on her," Kain allowed the pleasure of a small laugh pass his lips, short yet bitter…sad. He wondered the room, Aidou watching him, he felt awful…he just wanted Kain to stop; just the look on his face was telling him enough. He couldn't imagine Kain doing anything harmful to anyone…not really…not Akatsuki.

"Everything was fine. Everything was normal. So what - we'd made a human friend? Wasn't that what we were supposed to do? I remember that Souta was adamant that it was okay to be friends with her, that with us as friends she could always be safe…even though I think he knew in his heart that the most dangerous thing she could have done was to be friends with us.

"Then something changed. It was an innocent little miss-hap; it couldn't have been helped...on the grounds there was a river, one that ran right through the valley, delving deeper until it came to a sort of ravine. I fell from the top of the ravine, I don't even remember how…but somehow I managed to break my leg…Souta only wanted to help, but he couldn't move me on his own…he was so much smaller than I was…so he did the only thing he could think of. He offered his blood to me in order to help the wound heal enough so that I could move, so that we could get back to the manor.

"We…we weren't sure at first…but he refused to leave me there on my own…so I did it. I took his blood. We didn't even notice her until it was too late. We must have really looked like monsters to her. She was terrified. I still remember her screams. She ran away…but she thought it was me. She thought I was the monster. She was screaming for Souta to get away from me, even as she ran…she must have come back, she wanted to get Souta away from me. Go and get someone…tell them that I was a monster.

"He went after her. I'll never forget the look in his eyes…so dead, cold…when I managed to catch up to him…it was already too late." Kain stopped moving, his back held to Aidou, his eyes shut. The images were ahead of his mind, the blood upon her yellow dress, the way her eyes stared out at him but didn't see anything…and Souta. Souta had never been the same since.

"She didn't have to die, Hanabusa."

Kain was caught off guard by the arms that wrapped around him from behind; he opened his eyes and looked down at the balled hands as they pressed against his torso, holding onto him, wishing they could absorb all of his pain.

Aidou's eyes were sad, his face pressed between Kain's broad shoulders, holding onto him, refusing to let go, glad that he wasn't being pushed away. He couldn't take it anymore…he hated seeing Kain like this…but he realised that nothing he could do would ever make him feel any better about what had happened. He could just say 'It wasn't your fault'…but somehow that didn't seem to cover it. It wouldn't stop Kain's pain. Aidou didn't want him to feel that anymore…but what was there that he could do?

"You could have told me before…" Aidou pointed out, his voice trying to be strong but he felt weak in his heart. "You didn't have to keep this to yourself."

Kain nodded his head, placing his hand over Aidou's and taking a heavy breath, shutting his eyes. The contact was nice. Kain scowled and bit his lip, taking his hand away but remained unmoving. He swallowed hard and tasted the blood upon his tongue from his cut lip…he felt Aidou move away and he himself took a deep breath and moved away trying to get some room between them…brining his hand to his mouth, wishing that he'd not drunk the coloured water so fast.

Aidou took a step away from Akatsuki, looking over his tall silhouetted form in the darkness, seeing a soaring and powerful creature, one that he felt he knew very well…and yet, after this story, he saw someone different in Akatsuki's place, something frailer. And so often he was used to thinking of Akatsuki as a detached creature, someone who didn't get involved because it didn't benefit him…but maybe it was because he didn't want to get caught in a position where he would feel like that again.

There had always been a subtle mystery to Kain. Aidou just didn't realise that he didn't know what it was. He wanted to help Akatsuki but he didn't know how.

He could smell the blood in the air…Kain's frustration…at least that's what he thought at first. Yet when Aidou looked up, watching Akatsuki waver on his feet before dropping himself down at the foot of the bed he realised it wasn't just frustration. It was hunger.

"You're still hungry?"

"I'm fine, Hanabusa," Kain said…Aidou knew that he was just trying to distance them after their intimate moment. He dropped his shoulders, watching him as he climbed back onto his feet and shuffled to the side in order to climb back in, to ready himself to attempt sleep again for the hours left until dusk. "Go back to sleep."

Aidou still remained standing, his eyes watching Kain as he climbed into his bed, lying so that his back was facing Aidou, hiding his face from view. Aidou lowered his eyes only for a moment…what was it that Akatsuki had said before? Something about there being an empty part in a vampire when he feels the need to drink the blood of another vampire…something like that…he felt his face redden at the thought of it, embarrassed yet enticed…

He thought back to the story that Akatsuki had told him moments earlier…and he realised that he hadn't stopped thinking about it…how envious he felt of Souta, having been able to offer his blood to help Akatsuki…Aidou knew that he'd never had a chance like that before…to show Akatsuki how much he meant to him.

He dropped his shoulders. He wondered if Akatsuki would get mad at him for doing what he was about to do. Would he fight against it? Would he hate him for it? Aidou hoped not. He didn't want Akatsuki to be like that anymore…he wanted to take away whatever it was that was making him feel so empty. He would confront Miyake soon.

Aidou sat himself down on the side of Akatsuki's bed, and lifting a finger to his mouth, bit down until blood rose to the surface. He noticed Akatsuki stir at once.

"Hanabusa…you'll wake up everyone else…don't be so careless…" he said, his voice was quiet, trying to hide the ache he felt as the scent of blood flooded the air.

"I'm not being careless. Besides, I don't care." Aidou leant closer to Akatsuki and dangled his hand above his covered face, a drop of blood landing upon his cheek. Akatsuki knew what he was trying to do. He frowned deeply, he didn't want to do this, why was Aidou making it even harder? "Kain, don't let it go to waste."

"Hanabusa…" Akatsuki sat up in the bed, taking hold on Aidou's wrist and tugging it so that Aidou was facing him directly, their eyes matching one another. Aidou swallowed hard; there was darkness in Kain's eyes that made his toes curl. "You don't want me to do this, Hanabusa." He sighed.

"Why is that every time I try to help people always do that to me?" Aidou snatched back his hand and stood up, about to walk away. "Seriously, every time - _oomph_!"

"Thank-you for listening, Hanabusa..." Kain held Aidou against his chest; his arms wrapped around him…Aidou felt his body tense from the surprise, nervous as he felt Kain's lips against his throat. He shut his eyes.

"Don't worry about it…just…don't keep things like that from me anymore."

Aidou felt Kain's arms tighten around him, he tilted back his head, the feeling of Akatsuki's trembling lips against his throat caused a small amount of worry to pass through him, though it was only anticipation…his face remained placid and calm as Kain's fangs broke the surface of his skin, his heart beating faster and faster. He opened his eyes, his body relaxed, Kain calm and gentle as he drank, leaving Aidou's mind at ease…comfortable.

He only hoped that he could be of more use in the days to come. He wouldn't have one little ripple in their pond disturb the balance of things, certainly not his closest friends. Miyake Souta already had very much to answer for.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

Yuuki stretched her arms, bracing herself for her single handed guardian duty since Zero still hadn't shown up. She sighed dropping her shoulders as she already noticed the gathering of the female population around the entrance from the Moon Dorms, and with her whistle she ushered them back as far as they would allow, trying to make room for the Night Class to be able to get through.

Thankfully the group wasn't too unruly that night. It had been a long and warm day and half of the students were worn out…so although all of the usual had made an appearance she wasn't getting too much trouble from them, which was a great bonus…but there was still the matter of a missing Zero.

Still she took her post, blew her whistle very little and managed to form a half decent line, though of course not as perfect as Zero's anti-fan line, but it wasn't too bad if she said so herself, and with time to spare too before the Night Class made an appearance.

She was glad to see Kaname's face. It felt like it had been too long since she'd seen him, and without Zero around she felt a little distanced. To see Kaname and for him to realise she was staring caused her to blush at his smile.

"Good evening, Yuuki,"

"Good evening, Kaname-senpai," she bowed quickly, her usual blush'n'hide routine that Kaname was all but used too.

When Yuuki next looked up it was because of all of the sudden whispers that had arisen from the crowd. Then she saw him. Miyake Souta, walking seemingly upon his own, his eyes looked lost amongst the crowds of girls, he did not blink nor did his face show any kind of expression. She watched him with interest, maybe a little too closely.

As he walked passed her, he seemed to slow down, he matched eyes with her which caused her to jump. He smiled softly, just the gentle curl of the lip, but she couldn't take her eyes from his eyes, topaz, bright and beautiful…warm yet they seemed so empty and cold. She sensed a lot of pain from him.

He bowed his head gracefully to her, and Yuuki bowed back as she usually would do…but she couldn't help but wonder why he recognised her amongst all of the others. Did he do this because he knew that she was a guardian? Aware of what he really was? That was probably it, she reasoned.

Yuuki went to the chairman after the Night Class were safely inside and the Day Class back in their dorms.

"Ah, Yuuki," he smiled, he seemed to have something to tell her, his face was excited and it was almost as if there were stars floating happily around him. She raised a cautious eyebrow and watched him as she shut the door behind her.

"Still no word from Kiriyuu-kun?"

"No, I still haven't seen him. He didn't show up at all during the exchange. I'm worried that he's done something stupid."

"It wouldn't surprise me," the chairman sighed, dropping down into his seat. "He'll show up, he always does." He smiled. "Now back to the matter at hand! I have something interesting to tell you." He winked.

"What is it?"

"Tah-dah!" he held up a piece of paper that appeared to be a colourful flyer. She took it from him and read it to herself quietly.

"What? But I thought that the only type of gathering we had was the annual ball?" she said, surprised and uneasy but at the same time she felt kind of excited.

"Yes, I know, but I was just thinking, the Night Class students are so well behaved! All my little pupils are so good, so I thought it would be a nice treat! And - since it's a masked-ball the Night Class won't be so singled out. How wonderful does that sound? Doesn't it sound like heaven? Oh it's going to be so pretty! My cute little daughter all dressed up in a little costume!"

"Are you sure that it's a good idea? What about the new Night Class student?"

"Oh yes…" he dropped his shoulders, rubbing his chin in contemplation. "Well it isn't going to be for another few weeks yet, give him chance to settle in. I haven't heard any complaints as of yet. His teachers found him a little…eerie…but that was about it. Even Yagari Touga-kun didn't think much of him…well at least he didn't say anything…" the chairman scratched his head deep in thought. "_Ahh_ never mind," he waved his hand dismissively. "It'll be fine!"

"Okay, well I'm going to go now…I just wanted to let you know that Zero's still missing…I'm going to patrol." Yuuki told him, folding her arms behind her back after putting the flyer down onto the desk. She bowed her head and they exchanged their good byes before she left the room, her mind still swallowed by worries of Zero's unknown whereabouts.

She wondered aimlessly through the corridors, not really paying attention as to where she was going, feeling the smooth chill of the twilight air as it graced her skin, feeling cooler after the warm day that had passed through the Academy.

She took a deep breath and stopped, shutting her eyes as she tilted her head back, feeling the cool breeze and trying to calm her nerves. If Zero knew that she was worrying about him again he would only get mad. She balled her hands, readying herself in her head, pulling herself together and readying for some serious patrolling, only that when she opened her eyes, looking out over the Academy grounds, she realised that she wasn't alone.

"Zero? Zero!"

Zero's eyes looked up from the ground ahead of him, he'd heard Yuuki's voice, but he couldn't yet see her. To his right he turned, hearing his name being called again and sure enough there she was. He blinked, bringing a hand to his face, he felt fatigued and confused…he'd woken up only a few minutes ago in the middle of nowhere in town…he realised that his memory had been erased, but he couldn't do anything about it…he didn't remember a thing from since when he woke up that morning.

"Zero, are you okay? Where've you been?" Yuuki finally caught up to him, he hadn't stopped walking although he was watching her running to reach him. She looked to his face, as blank as ever and felt weary. She reached up and placed her hand against his forehead. "Your face is all red. Have you been lying in the sun somewhere?"

He didn't even open his mouth to reply. He turned away from her and started walking again. Yuuki huffed, dropping her shoulders. _I can't believe I was worried about him again…_

"Fine, I'm going on patrol. Talk to you later if you've finished being all evasive."

Zero stopped again, watching as Yuuki walked away. He then looked to his gun and took it out staring at the broken chain again…trying to remember what had happened…he lifted his fingers to his throat…had one of them drank his blood? He didn't feel any different…but…there was something wrong.

He ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath, shutting his eyes. He thought back…back to when he'd woken up…he'd gone down as usual…he'd eaten breakfast…then…_nothing_.

Yuuki wondered on through the academy grounds on patrol as usual. Everything seemed to be under control, nothing was out of place, only that she was annoyed at Zero. She huffed and folded her arms, resolving that she wouldn't think about him anymore, she'd had enough.

It was only when she heard something unusual that she stopped. She stopped and continued to listen, feeling the soft music making her want to sway, placing her mind at ease. "A violin," she realised, wondering if it was a Day Class student who was using the music room out of hours…and if it was a Night Class student, curious as to which one of them had that secret talent.

She turned the corner and into the building, looking for the music room that homed the beautiful sound…when she saw the door just ajar she approached it quietly, she didn't want to disturb it if it were a Night Class student. And much to her surprise, as she approached from around the corner, she realised that there was another form approaching from the other side.

Aidou Hanabusa stepped out from the gloom. Yuuki stood back and hid back around the corner…only that when she looked back she noticed him entering the music room.

Aidou shut the door behind him. His eyes looked dully up at the figure stood at the far end of the room, the sleek violin raised to his shoulder, playing an almost eerily beautiful tune that seemed to suit him almost perfectly. His eyes were shut, gently swaying along with the rise and fall, to and fro movement of his right arm as it held the bow.

He was really like something from a horror story. Like a classic vampire, eerie and beautiful…able to draw people to him with simply the look of his eyes. People were fearful of him, yet they wanted to be near him…Aidou had felt that the moment that their eyes had first met…but that wasn't why he was there. Of course Miyake Souta had been given permission to use the music room, so Aidou saw this as the perfect opportunity to corner him, and attempt to get some answers out of him.

"Aidou-senpai…did you come to listen to my music?" Miyake didn't stop only the music changed; it became softer so that his voice was heard above it. Miyake did not open his eyed, they remained shut, still playing his music as Aidou watched him with careful and judging eyes.

"Actually, I came to talk." Aidou announced, folding his arms.

"Oh?" Miyake stopped playing, the music seemed to have finished. "I'm honoured to have Aidou-senpai talk to me. Usually people don't like me very much. Apparently I'm cold…unkind. Can you imagine that…And I try so hard." Miyake sighed, bringing the instrument from his shoulder and placing it in the case as Aidou approached him from behind.

Aidou knew that Akatsuki would have a fit if he knew that he'd already broken his promise, more so that he'd actually sought out Miyake on his own, but he knew that he had to do something. He couldn't let it continue like that…besides, if Miyake really was of a low status then he shouldn't have any problems in subduing him or gaining information out of him.

"Oh…so he has succumbed to it…" Miyake raised his head as he smelt it, it grew stronger the closer that Aidou stepped, and even thought he'd stopped, he could taste it now upon his tongue. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "Poor Kain."

Aidou scowled. "I want you to leave Akatsuki alone, Miyake."

"Oh?" Miyake turned, glancing over his shoulder at Aidou…he realised that they were the same height. "Not so tall," he pointed out, but shrugged. Aidou scowled, kind of pouting, clenching his fists.

"What is your problem? Do you even listen to what you're saying?"

"Not always, why? Does it bother you? The words that pass these lips?" Miyake lifted a hand and placed a finger upon his bottom lip, his eyes watching Aidou's intensely. His previous meeting with Kiriyuu Zero had left him hungry and agitated…he should have just taken Kiriyuu's blood there on the spot…but his sanity stopped him from doing so.

He yawned, and turned back around, breaking his eyes with Aidou and went back to his violin, before he lifted himself up to sit on the desk. He folded his legs, and met Aidou's stare again.

"If you're going to threaten me, do it now before I get bored."

"I don't know you, but Akatsuki does." Aidou began. "Already I'm leaning towards disliking you, and from what I've been told I'd have a good reason. You're obviously pompous and overconfident and honestly one of your status has no right to be. But, so far you haven't done anything that will cause any harm, and I will tell you this only once, if you ever do anything that will cause any more pain to Akatsuki then I won't waste any time in putting you back in your place." Aidou's words were strong; Miyake felt that he meant every single bit of it, he felt the creeping of frost against his fingertips. He watched Aidou's serious eyes, there wasn't anything cute about him anymore…but he liked this side of him too.

"Back in my place, hm?" Miyake lowered himself down off the desk and folded his arms loosely, approaching Aidou so that they were stood eye-to-eye. "Why wait?"

Aidou gasped. He felt his body go rigid, his arms trapped at his sides, his eyes broad…he didn't know what had happened…all he could see was Miyake's eyes staring at him.

Miyake sighed and rolled his eyes, turning around he ran his fingers through his hair. "Twice in one day…twice…damn it all…" he glanced back over his shoulder, he loved the beautiful turquoise colour to Aidou's eyes, they gleamed full of fright but they were so beautiful…like ice.

"You don't have to worry about Akatsuki, Aidou-senpai. I won't do anything to him. People seem to think that I will…even Ichijou-senpai watches me like a hawk…no one trusts me here, and you know, its painful." His face was still empty, blank although if anyone else had been saying it his eyes would have at least shown some kind of emotion. "If I'm going to do anything it's to you."

Aidou managed to move slightly, fear filled him…he couldn't move…he'd never felt that kind of power before, to be trapped like that just after one look. He swallowed hard…was this why Akatsuki didn't want him going anywhere near Souta?

"Don't worry though…you're the one who's going to come to me when you're ready to hear more about what happened between Kain and I. And please, Aidou-senpai, don't mention my status. It's like pouring salt into unhealed wounds. Besides. We could be related. Wouldn't that be lovely?"

Yuuki watched, ten minutes later or so, Miyake Souta left the music room with the violin case in hand…yet Aidou hadn't yet made an appearance. She decided to investigate…going to the door, about to open it when it opened ahead of her and she stumbled back, caught off guard.

"_Eeh_..? Yuuki-chan?" Aidou seemed dazed when she looked up at him. He blinked and looked back down the corridor that Miyake had walked down. He reached out his hand and graciously helped her up onto her feet.

"Are you okay, Aidou-senpai?" she looked at him carefully; he looked different to usual, as if the spring had been stolen from his step. He looked at her, his eyes were unreadable. He nodded his head.

"Hai…excuse me, Yuuki-chan…" his smile was weak, fake. He lifted his hand and rubbed her hair before he walked off in the direction that Miyake had also exited from. She pouted as she watched him walk away…confused. What on earth was going on? First Zero and now Aidou-senpai…

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Souta arrived at his class in silence. He walked in and sat down a few spaces away from Ichijou and began to think…

He was yet to do anything…and although he had such wonderful things planned he realised that those around him were already making a monster out of him, making his job that little bit easier. In truth he didn't really have anything planned, he was just making it all up as he went along…as long as he eventually managed to get himself kicked out of that place then he didn't mind how he got there.

The fact that Aidou had approached him spoke volumes about how much he'd already affected Kain in that brief meeting. He - of course - knew that Kain was still sore from the past…and a little part of him hated Kain for still placing him there in that situation…he wouldn't have it…he wasn't a child anymore…Kain didn't know anything about him. No one did.

He wondered how long he could keep this up? It was only day two and already he'd had a wonderful encounter with the delicious guardian Kiriyuu Zero who he would make certain he saw more of in the future…and with Aidou…this had benefited him…he wondered though how long it would take before Aidou approached him and started asking him the more relevant questions instead of accusing him of harming Kain. He would never harm Kain…how dare he think that.

"Ne, Miyake-san?"

Souta blinked and turned to look to where the voice had come from, surprised that it had been Ichijou-senpai who had spoken. He matched eyes with him, giving him permission to continue.

"Are…are you feeling alright?" Ichijou kept his voice quiet as if he didn't want to embarrass him. Miyake raised a curious brow. He felt fine.

"I am, why?"

"No reason. You, just seem very pale tonight."

"Oh," Miyake looked ahead again, somewhat startled. He looked back to Ichijou-senpai and smiled weakly. "I'm fine, Ichijou-senpai…thank-you…for your concern."

Ichijou smiled. "You're welcome, Miyake-san."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Zero lifted his head, looking at his reflection in the mirror, rubbing his hair with the towel in order to dry it. He stared at himself, looking himself in the eyes…still trying to remember…but it didn't seem to be coming to him easily.

"Red…why is that all that I can remember…?" he sighed, lowering the towel to his shoulders and leaning forwards again, splashing his face with the water. Why blank his memory anyway? Did he find out something that he shouldn't have? Did he over hear something? See something? He cursed, thumping his fist into the counter in frustration.

Zero looked back up to the mirror and almost jumped back, but he saw a figure there ahead of him for a moment…topaz eyes burned into his, he looked at them, watching them for a moment able to remember them…the eyes of Miyake Souta.

But there was nothing else there. Just the eyes of Miyake Souta. What did that mean? Could he have done that? Could he have blocked his memory like that? Would he have done it? But why? He lifted his fingers to his throat again…why did he feel as though someone had fed from him? Why did he think that? It couldn't be true…he felt fine…well - just as fine as he remembered being in the morning…he felt no different, no weaker…it baffled him.

When back in his room, Zero checked the amount of bullets that were left in his gun…there weren't any missing. If he had come across a vampire and in town none the less he would have shot unless he had a seriously good reason not to. He thought on it as he fixed the broken chain and pulled on his jacket before he left his room again, thinking that it probably be better off if he continue the patrol. He wanted to find Miyake Souta.

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Review please :)


	4. Chapter 4

hi its me again.

thanks for all of your reviews, i really am happy that you guys like Souta! yatta! :) so here, i've done some SoutaZero in this chapter, but because I don't want to get too much out of character its not going to get like 'that' so soon...since Zero has such an obvious man-aura...lol...

enjoy and please review :)

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Chapter Four

By the end of the night, Zero was still waiting. He'd managed to miss Yuuki at every possible interval, not that he'd been looking for her or trying to avoid her, only that wherever he was, she wasn't…and usually…most of the time, she found him no matter how hard he tried to avoid her.

He'd watched the Night Class for the hours that they'd been in lessons, and continued to do so, waiting for them to come out. He waited for them somewhere where he could only see them, but they would not see him. He didn't really have a plan…only to try and seek Miyake Souta out of the group, he wanted to catch his eye…draw him away.

All he had in mind was that he wanted answers about what had happened, about why Souta had done what he'd done…if indeed it had been him. Zero though didn't feel doubtful about that. In fact he was pretty much certain that it had been Miyake Souta who had done such a thing…not only was he a part of his hazy memory but because Zero knew that if he would have done anything in order to wake up in the middle of town, then it would have been to follow the vampire he'd been told to keep an eye on.

When they finally did leave, Zero was very much waiting for them. Watching them as they walked back to the Moon Dorm in their usual group with Kuran leading them like a bandmaster. Zero had always found it laughable…it was as if they all walked in rank. He shook his head, focused and then he picked him out among the group. That night he was walking alone, just behind Akatsuki and Aidou.

Zero watched him…it didn't seem as though he was going to get any kind of reaction…none of them looked his way. He dropped his shoulders…he couldn't just ambush him…not like that. He'd have to get Miyake on his own there was nothing else to it. Zero watched as they went back towards the Moon Dorms through the gate and then they were gone.

Back in his room, Zero dropped himself down onto his bed, realising that he was starving…he'd not eaten anything since breakfast. Already half out of his uniform he pulled on the nearest t-shirt and thought that he would just take a chance and sneak into the chairman's kitchen and grab a snack, his stomach was aching.

The corridors were silent on his way there and back, he'd managed to cook and eat without disturbing anyone, and so was ready to rest up for the night, hoping to get some rest before his duties the next night - oh and school of course.

With a yawn he entered his dorm room, rubbing the back of his head. He shut the door behind him and went to flick on the light, only that he found himself stopping and turning back to look into the room, a crease forming between his brows as he noticed a silhouette of a person sitting on his bed.

Usually, he would have thought that it was Yuuki…but not that night. That wasn't Yuuki.

"You wanted to see me, Zero?"

Zero launched for his gun, he took it up from the side of the small sink where he'd dropped his jacket and fired off two rounds…only that there were no bullets. Zero stared at the weapon disbelievingly.

"Don't insult me," Miyake sighed, putting out his hand, dropping the several bullets like coins to the ground. Zero scowled, his lips pressed together as he lowered the weapon and put it back on the side of the sink.

Miyake stood up from the bed and turned to face him. "I'm quite pleased that you've wanted to reach out to me so soon…actually I'm flattered and surprised that you realised it was me. Usually when people forget things to do with me, they don't want to remember. But I see that you tried extra hard, right, Zero?"

Zero stepped back; looking away…those eyes…he couldn't look into them.

Miyake smiled and clapped his hands together. "You remember." He approached Zero, stood ahead of him about a foot away. "You remember…really…no one else even bothers…that means a lot, it really does."

"Why did you block my memory?" Zero managed to get out finally, glancing at him, taking a chance, feeling safer once those topaz eyes had turned away and were heading back down the room again.

"I didn't want to you to remember what I said, isn't that obvious? I probably shouldn't have said it…but it's really hard to keep secrets…and every time I look at Zero I want to tell him everything." Miyake folded his hands behind his back, glancing briefly over his shoulder, catching Zero's confused scowl, lowering his head slightly. Miyake looked back ahead and shrugged. "But its okay. It's better if you don't know…because if you do then you won't like me and might tell the others…and then they…" Miyake stopped.

Zero watched him, he was confused, he didn't understand what this vampire was talking about it was as if he was speaking riddles. His scowl deepened, and he was caused to look away again as Miyake turned around and met his eyes briefly.

"Don't worry, Zero…I'm not going to do anything to you." Miyake's voice was entirely sincere. Zero, although he didn't want to risk it, did look up, his eyes met those topaz ones again and Zero saw a different gleam to those usually empty eyes. They were so sad.

"You know, Zero. I knew that you wouldn't tell the others…it wouldn't benefit you, it would benefit them. You wouldn't want that. I guess the reason why I did it was because I said some embarrassing things…I talk too much sometimes…at least when someone is willing to listen…or well…at hand to do so." Souta sat back down on the bed, running his fingers through his hair so that his bangs fell away from his eyes, the subtle light from the small window made his features glow. Zero blinked and swallowed…he didn't know what this vampire was up to or what he was even saying but he knew that he wasn't going to get any answers out of him.

"Are you going to leave or do I have to force you out?" Zero inquired, raising an eyebrow. Souta looked at him as if he'd insulted him somehow, then turned forwards again.

"You know…I think I said something like this before…but I actually have a lot of admiration for vampire hunters. They're basically just humans…but they're strong…humans are weak creatures…they live short lives and are always so scared…but not a vampire hunter. They're like a whole different species of human, in a world of their own." Souta stood up from the bed and lifted his arms above his head to stretch them, before he looked to Zero. "I know I should dislike you, because you dislike me…but everyone dislikes me…so I don't really care anymore." He shrugged. "But, I'm partial to a challenge these days. I like it when people oppose me; it gives me something to do. So if you want you can hunt me down any time you'd like."

Zero half laughed with a shrug. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Maybe it is," Souta turned around fully facing Zero, matching eyes with him, simply in love with the mysterious colour of Zero's silvery-purple eyes. So different, unusual. Souta approached Zero further, causing him to back up to the wall before they stood ahead of one another, Souta watching him carefully, Zero's eyes were resolute, his body stiff against the wall…whatever trap he'd got himself caught in the last time he didn't want to get caught in again.

Much to Zero's surprise Souta put out his arm and reached for him, touching the side of his face. Zero brushed his hand away, but somehow he felt as though there was no point. Souta heaved a sigh and smiled weakly and bit his lip trying to calm himself, yet caused the skin to break, blood flowing to the surface. He licked it away.

Zero swallowed hard…watching the blood as it came to the surface again, he clutched onto his chest, feeling the usual pulse deep within himself. Souta watched, intrigued. He'd not meant to cause such a reaction…only tried to hold himself back…how he wanted to taste warm blood again.

Souta put out his hand, brushing Zero's hair from his face as he rested forwards slightly, clutching onto his chest. Zero brushed his hand away again and moved away towards the other side of the room. Souta only followed him with his eyes; a smirk forced its way to his lips. He could enjoy this.

"I'm sorry, Zero." He said. "It wasn't intentional."

Zero covered his mouth with his hand, biting his own lip, he couldn't stop it though, the scent was heavy in the air…caused his chest to pain…the colour of blood flushed his eyes, the anger showing upon his features as he rested against the far wall. He didn't want one of them to see him like that. He didn't want them to know…but this one…Miyake Souta…why was he so different? Why did Zero feel that he had so many secrets…maybe not secrets, but a layered past that had made him this way…but it just didn't seem real.

Souta watched Zero as he slid down the wall, breathing heavily as he tried to control himself. "Poor Zero…" he whispered to himself, walking steadily towards him at the far side of the room, but making certain that he didn't get too close. "Does it hurt, Zero? You know…no…never mind…you must really hate yourself." Souta brought himself to sit ahead of Zero on the ground, Zero glanced up at him as if saying 'are you still here?'.

"I'm not going," Souta told him. "You probably don't care but I think you deserve this," Souta brought his arm to his mouth, and tore down into his exposed wrist with his fangs, the blood flowing heavily from the large wound. Souta licked the blood from his lips and dropped down onto his knees, offering his wrist to Zero. "If you want it just take it, otherwise I'd have gotten blood on my shirt for nothing."

Souta expected a little resistance from Zero…but he didn't seem to receive it, instead Zero leant forwards almost at once, taking hold of his arm, pressing his lips against the closing wound. Souta shut his eyes and remained silent, feeling a small pang of dull pain as Zero's fangs broke the wound again.

Souta felt his toes curl, opening his eyes at the feeling of Zero's tongue running along his torn flesh, tasting him. He bit his lip again and shut his eyes, able to feel his stomach fluttering, dizzy from the loss of blood.

When Zero finally pulled away Souta got up quickly onto his feet, he couldn't be weak around this creature; he'd probably say something stupid again. He headed towards the doorway, but he fell to his knees before he reached there, wavering and collapsing onto his side. Souta laughed softly at himself and rolled around onto his back, dizzily he attempted to sit up, managing to hold himself up weakly with his uncut arm.

Zero licked the last of the blood from his lips and took a deep breath…his blood…it was like Kuran Kaname's.

Souta fell back onto the floor, looking up at Zero as he stood over him. Souta smiled. "Would you like my body too, while you're at it?"

Zero reached down and took hold of Souta's outstretched arm, helping him up so that he could at least sit on the bed. Zero couldn't bring himself to say anything, he could still taste it upon his tongue and didn't know what he should say…he knew that Miyake Souta wasn't a pure-blood…no that couldn't be right…but then, what was he?

"Here," Zero put out his arm and handed Souta the blood tablets. Souta took them looking down at the small case in his hands and smiled.

"You can't take these, can you?" he asked, taking out a few and swallowing them all at once. He watched Zero as he backed away, still trying to avoid his eyes.

"No," he replied simply.

"Didn't think so…I can't stand them myself…half the time I can't keep them down." Souta sighed, shutting his eyes and dropping back onto the bed. "But if I said that…then I'd only cause more problems for people…oh…I'm saying stupid things again…" he sighed, his eyes gently shut as he remained sprawled out on the bed.

"You're not sleeping there," Zero hissed, shoving his leg as it dangled over the side of the bed. Souta opened one eye and yawned. Zero glared narrowly at him and took up the small box of tablets and put them away.

"Ne, Zero…"

Zero looked up briefly from sorting out all of the bullets, fetching them from the floor and under the bed. He noticed that Souta was lying on the bed silently, his eyes still shut, he looked to be sleeping, much to his dismay.

"You're not sleeping there," he scolded again, shoving him harder in the leg. "Get up."

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"No."

"Didn't think so." Souta lifted himself to sit, watching Zero as he put the bullets back in the clip. Zero didn't meet his eyes…but Souta smiled. It was okay like that. "What about just a question?"

Zero glared up at him as he found the last of the bullets and clipped it into place.

"I'll leave afterwards, on my word as a nobody." Souta placed his hand over his heart, raising the other to the air. Zero didn't disagree and only continued to arm his weapon again after Souta had so kindly removed all of its vampire-hurting ammo. "Do you hate me?"

Zero glanced up with a frown. "I don't know you. You're annoying and confusing, but I don't feel anything towards you. I'm indifferent." He answered honestly heading over to put his weapon away into his jacket again.

Souta smiled.

"Thank-you, Kiriyuu-kun."

"Why do you care?" Zero asked, watching him curiously, turning as Souta stood up feebly from the bed, rubbing his wrist as he rolled down his sleeves. "Why do you care if people like you or not?"

"It's just nice to know that at least someone doesn't hate me. No one really likes me very much." He sighed with a half a shrug and a fake smile. Zero's frown deepened.

"Why don't they like you? Did you do something to piss them off?" Zero didn't care, in fact he couldn't care less, but there was something so strange about Miyake Souta, he thought it best not to be enemies with him unless entirely necessary.

"They listen to gossip…and I figure…if they listen to gossip then they're no better than who they think I am…I just try to act the part. Is it working?"

Zero laughed softly, baffled, and gently shook his head. He looked at Souta, suddenly realising how child like his eyes were, so lost and wide, as if they were just watching everything, being careful, sincere. He rubbed the back of his head and shrugged.

"I'm not sure about me, but I think they've fallen for it." Zero replied, but it didn't seem to be what Souta wanted to hear…although he'd figured that much out for himself. "But why are you trusting me with this? This fake attitude of yours?"

Souta looked down, so gentle and serine. He seemed real standing there now, no more mask, no more acting. He shrugged and he met Zero's eyes, his smile gentle, truthful.

"I like Zero. I trust Zero because you think of all vampires as the same. You don't dislike me because I'm Miyake Souta; you do it because I'm a vampire and you're a vampire hunter. I'm more comfortable with that…" he walked towards the door, putting his hand on the handle before glancing back at a curious Zero. "If I do anything stupid, it's so you can hunt me down. I'd enjoy that."

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Ichijou sighed, shutting his eyes as he rested his head against the back of the settee in the entrance hall of the Moon Dorms. Day had already started outside and school was in session, and yet he felt heavily troubled.

Swirling the glass, twirling his fingers through his hair in contemplation he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty…he couldn't stop thinking about Miyake Souta and his reaction in class earlier. He'd seemed genuinely surprised by Ichijou's concern…and Ichijou felt as if something wasn't entirely right about it.

"So it is you,"

Ichijou looked back over his shoulder at the sound of the voice and smiled softly as he watched Shiki descend the staircase. "I'm sorry, Shiki, did I wake you up?"

Shiki shook his head and approached Ichijou, sitting across from him on the opposite settee. "I heard a noise…noticed you were gone." He replied simply, his murky blue eyes watching Ichijou's face and gentle yet obviously worried smile. "Something wrong?"

Ichijou took a deep breath and leant forwards to put the glass down onto the table. "I'm not sure…but I think that I've misjudged Miyake-kun."

"Hm?" Shiki mumbled as he got himself comfortable, leaning back.

"Today…in class…he looked pale so I asked him if he was feeling okay…he wasn't only surprised that I cared…but…it's just that I think he's hiding himself from us." Ichijou frowned softly and rested back again. "I just can't really figure him out…but I feel really bad for listening to what the gossips said…hear-say…or wherever I heard it…I don't even remember…truth is, although I find him intimidating…I don't really feel anything else…he just seems…lonely. What does Shiki think?"

Shiki picked up a grape from the bowl in the centre of the table and lifted it to his lips, placing it upon his tongue before he looked to Ichijou, realising that he really was beat up about this situation, though he personally didn't see what the fuss was. "I don't listen to gossip." Shiki replied at his own pace. "He's on guard all of the time though…he's acting. Rima thinks that he's pretty good."

Ichijou smiled sympathetically, lowering his eyes to the red substance in the glass. "I probably should have greeted him properly…it is my duty as the vice dorm leader!" he said passionately, though quietly, but lowered his eyes again. "Kaname said that he doesn't even want to be here…and I'm not surprised…we haven't really greeted him well."

"I think that Akatsuki has some problems with him." Shiki said, taking up another grape, folding his legs as he rested back again, watching the grape as he rolled it around between his thumb and forefinger. "But…knowing Akatsuki…he'll get over it. He was probably just caught off guard."

"Shiki is right as always." Ichijou grinned. "He seemed a little better in class today…but Aidou…I don't think that Aidou is going to let it go." He shut his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair in quiet frustration. About to open his mouth to speak again he was caught off guard as he felt a grape press against his lips. He opened his eyes just as Shiki took his fingers away from his lips, and met his eyes, looking up as Shiki rested upon his knees on the settee aside of him.

"Ichijou worries too much," Shiki breathed softly into Ichijou's throat, his fingers against the side of Ichijou's motionless face, feeling his soft lips against the palm of his hand, the smooth beating of his heart. Ichijou felt Shiki's kiss gentle against his throat before he sat back. "Don't worry anymore."

Ichijou watched Shiki as he walked away, back up the staircase and to their room. He dropped his shoulders, looking back at the glimmering liquid in the wine glass. "Why does everyone keep on saying that?" he sighed.

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By morning Yuuki realised that half of the school were already intensely aware of the masked-ball that the chairman had suddenly decided upon. She didn't feel entirely up to it, however…realising that Zero was still kind of ignoring her…she opted to think of something else.

She narrowed her eyes, watching him as he sat at the back of the class, unfocused yet reading the pages of the text book before scribbling with his pencil…she shrugged down and folded her arms ahead of her on the desk, Yori eyeing her, realising that Zero was back.

"Get into an argument?" she questioned.

"No…stupid jerk…he's just _fine_." She huffed, her voice muffled as she rested her face against her folded arms. Yori smiled.

"Are you looking forwards to the masked-ball?" she asked, deciding on changing the subject. Yuuki blinked and shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I haven't really thought about it…it's not for another few weeks anyway." She rested her head aside thought quietly for a moment. "I think it'll be fun to go costume shopping though…what does Yori want to go as?"

"I haven't thought about it," she replied, placing a finger to her lip as she ran through her options. "I think I want to go as an animal or something like that. Like a lion or a tiger," she smiled. "What about Yuuki?"

"I don't know…but I think I've already picked out Zero's costume." She grinned deviously.

"Zero's costume?"

"Well he's not going to pick one himself, is he?" she stated. Yori nodded her head and looked back to her work, realising that Yuuki couldn't be more right. "I haven't decided what I want to wear yet…is Yori going to ask anyone to go with her?"

She shook her head. "No, I don't think so. But I will dance with someone if they ask me, as always." She replied, and looked back to Yuuki. "Do you want anyone to ask you? Like a certain Night Class student?"

Yuuki felt her face flush red; she pouted and pushed her face deeper into the folds of her arms. "It's not like that…"

Yori raised an eyebrow. "Oh, we're still playing that card are we?" she laughed softly, her eyes almost sparkled as Yuuki glanced at her through narrowed eyes. "Sorry, Yuuki, but I think it's cute. Although I don't really care that much for the Night Class, I can understand why you like him, he's like your Knight in Shining Armour, right? And every girl wants one of those." Yuuki sighed; she listened to Yori's words and liked what she heard…but was always curious as to why Yori always seemed to be so detached from the idea of a boyfriend. In truth Yuuki thought that she had a crush on someone and was really good at hiding it…either that or…actually…she didn't know.

"You're so cool Yori…" Yuuki lolled her head onto the desk. "How do you say such cool things?"

"Comes with years of practice." She replied with a wink. "Comes in handy now and again."

"I'll bet it does…don't want to lend it to me, do you?" Yuuki joked but her eyes were pleading.

"Sorry, Yuuki, no can do. It's a life-time thing; if I lend it to you I'll lose all of my credibility in the afterlife." She smiled in return.

To Yuuki the day seemed to drone by like every other day, she still wondered in her head about the night before…about Aidou and Miyake and even Zero's annoying behaviour seemed to slip in there somewhere when she wasn't paying enough attention.

On her wondering after she'd finished her lunch she'd headed towards the Chairman's office, she felt like she wanted to know more about Miyake Souta, and complain about Zero's behaviour to someone else who knew about Zero's 'situation'. On her way there, she never expected to see one of the very creatures she was heading there to inquire about…and he looked so very lost.

"Miyake-senpai?"

Souta had realised she was arriving and hadn't paid any heed, he'd stopped on purpose. He looked back to her and her confused features as she continued to approach him. He bowed his head to her. "Sorry, it's appears I've lost my way." He told her sheepishly. "I was just heading to visit Chairman-Cross…except that I don't recall where his office is."

Yuuki smiled, she somehow liked his face like that, and met his sparkling topaz eyes. He had a different expression upon his features during the daytime, she realised how large his eyes were and how delicate his features. "I'll show you, I was just heading there myself."

"Thank-you, Yuuki-san." He smiled softly and bowed his head graciously. "I don't think we've been properly introduced." He announced softly after having walked by her side for a moment. "I am Miyake Souta; it's a pleasure to finally meet with you,"

He bowed his head to her again, his eyes not leaving hers.

"Cross Yuuki, I'm one of the school guardians." She told him, although she had a feeling that she already knew, it wouldn't hurt. She bowed her head also before they continued, walking side by side. She was surprised though, it wasn't every day that she saw much of the Night Class during daylight hours…aside from seeing Kaname occasionally.

"I apologise, I know that I'm not supposed to wonder around the Academy during daylight hours." He spoke softly, lifting his hand to shade his face as they passed a window, the spring sunshine gleaming through the glass. "I've been careful so that no one sees me…but I was glad when you showed up, other wise I may have been wondering for a while."

Yuuki felt somewhat baffled as she walked along side him. He wasn't anything like she'd imagined him to be. Of course she'd been told that he had a violent tendency…but she'd not really agreed with that to begin with. In fact although it was the first time she'd actually spoken to him she didn't think him any different from the rest of the Night Class…except for his lying eyes…but they weren't sad today, she noticed.

"Is it okay…that I ask what you're going to see the chairman about?" Yuuki inquired quietly, folding her arms behind her back neatly.

"Of course, it's just that I was wondering if he would post a letter for me. I know its silly but I don't really know this place yet, I hoped he wouldn't mind." He told her, taking out an envelope from his jacket pocket to show to her briefly before putting it back.

"That shouldn't be a problem," she smiled. "I'm sure the chairman would be glad to post any letters for you if you ask."

"I'm glad, you see, I write a lot to my mother. She has a phone but she prefers it this way." He told her, entirely truthful, wincing as the sun managed to catch him off guard.

"I like that idea." Yuuki smiled. "I never really get a chance to write letters. Do you enjoy it?"

"I think it's more of a habit now." He replied, still with a soft smile. "She used to have to travel when I was younger; I'd write to her a lot then. It takes longer but it's my preferred method of communication." He watched her movements and the gentle look in her eyes, he tried to place her, so adorable…and he just loved those bright all-seeing eyes… "Hmm," he grinned. "I can understand why they like Yuuki," he blinked and pulled a face as he realised he probably shouldn't have said it.

Yuuki felt her face redden slightly, but played dumb. "They?"

Souta hoped she would do that. "Kaname-sama and Kiriyuu-kun." He replied.

She looked away slightly and didn't reply. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…it's only that it was very easy to tell. Kaname-sama more so than Kiriyuu-kun…but…well maybe it's just me. I apologise…" she smiled weakly, he did so too. "We'll change the subject shall we?"

"Did you meet Zero…then?" she asked, which actually surprised him slightly, he'd not expected her to bring the subject to Zero. "He's the other Guardian…Kiriyuu-kun…" she added, just encase he wasn't aware. She liked this smile from him. It was different to the other one, suited him more, fit correctly as he nodded his head.

"Yes, I met him briefly yesterday…" he looked ahead of him. "It must be difficult for him…considering that he's a vampire hunter…to be what he is."

Yuuki's eyes went broad again; she stopped and turned to him, gripping onto his jacket. He'd met Zero once? How could he already know that? Half of the Night Class weren't even aware! He met her startled eyes.

"Oh, oh don't worry," he put out his hands as an offering to help her calm down. "I won't tell anyone…I think it's a curse though how observant I am, mix that with an amazing sense of smell and there you go, all of your secrets are mine too."

Although Yuuki had now met Miyake Souta and had her own opinion of him…and she didn't think that there was exactly anything wrong with him, no he seemed nice enough…it was only that…she really just got the feeling that there was something very sad about him, but something surprising. An interesting secret that only he knew.

She watched him as he exchanged words with the chairman, and apologised for his rude behaviour on the night that he'd arrived, explaining that he'd been in a bad mood. Of course the chairman accepted gratefully and before Yuuki knew it he was gone again and she was left in the room with the chairman.

"Is there something else that you wanted, Yuuki?"

She blinked and turned to the chairman, her mind suddenly blank. "Oh…" she smiled and shook her head. "No, its okay. I'll report back to you later." She replied with a gracious bow and left the room, the chairman curious as to her behaviour.

"Oh, did Zero show up afterwards?" he inquired as she was about to leave the room. She narrowed her eyes and left. He nodded his head and accepted that as a sign that he'd indeed returned safely. "Now, back to the matter at hand." He grinned, looking back down at his time-consuming sudoku puzzle.

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I'll try and update chapter six on the weekend. Please review :)


	5. Chapter 5

This chapter isn't very long, but i hope you enjoy it none the less.

Thanks to the faithful reviewers! but sadly i will not be updating for at least four weeks because i'm going away for a while. SO when i get back i want to read lots of yummy reviews! :)

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Chapter Five

Aidou narrowed his eyes, watching the bed on the other side of the room. He pressed his lips together…trying to remain discrete, but Kain could feel those eyes burning into his back, knowing that Aidou was still sore after their argument earlier. But somehow he was thankful for it; it took his mind off of other things.

Rolling onto his back Aidou lifted the pillow up to his face and tried to shut his eyes and sleep but it seemed to refuse to come. He thought Akatsuki was being cruel. All he'd tried to do was help but that had backfired and he'd only managed to make Akatsuki angry and a kind of enemy out of Miyake Souta. But he'd meant well, but then again…he always meant well, even if he sometimes had a selfish way of showing it.

"Ne, Hanabusa," Kain mumbled, rolling around so that his body was curved to face the other side of the room. Aidou lifted up the pillow from his face and peered out still with sour, narrow eyes. Kain sighed and got up out of his bed as Aidou shuffled down into the quilts and refused to acknowledge him. "Hanabusa," Kain stood at the bedside and folded his arms over a naked chest, before long, after receiving no movement or sign of a reply, he reached down and took hold of the quilt and tugged it away.

"Leave me alone," Aidou moaned, his face still covered in a pillow, rolled up onto a ball as if trying to protect himself. "Last time I ever try and help you," he muttered, his voice muffled by the thick pillow he used as a shield.

Kain rolled his eyes and dropped the quilt at the foot of the bed, lowering his shoulders. "Hanabusa…why do you think I yelled at you?" Kain asked, lowering himself down to sit on the side of the bed.

"'Cos you're mean," Aidou muttered, shuffling away slightly as he realised that Kain was sat behind him on the bed.

"I'll ask again," Kain replied. "Why, Hanabusa, do you think that I was angry with you for dishonouring my request?"

Aidou pouted and sat up angrily, gripping onto the pillow as he looked Kain in the eye. "Because you were _protecting_ me." he replied, pursing his lips, annoyed…because he knew Kain was right. Akatsuki seemed pleased by that answer.

"We've known each other for a long time," Akatsuki told him. "I didn't tell you about what happened between Miyake and I because I'm always going to be sore about it, the fact is, that I'm just…worried…because although Miyake is just like you or me…he's still…_different_. I hoped you would listen, and not go anywhere near him on your own. I didn't want you to…get hurt." He ran his fingers through his hair, ruffled the back as his eyes looked away, feeling embarrassed. He swallowed and allowed his eyes to wonder, but when he next glanced back momentarily to Aidou he could have sworn he was going to burst out into tears.

"Eh? What's wrong?"

"Akatsuki's never said that to me before," Aidou sniffed before launching himself at Akatsuki aiming for a hug, yet Kain pulled himself away last moment to avoid it and Aidou fell off the bed and onto his face.

"Calm down…I was just, hey! Don't _cry!"_

"But Akatsuki admitted that he _cared_ about me."

"Wow! Don't take this out of proportion! I just said that I didn't want you to get hurt! You know, 'cos if you did then that would be troublesome for me, I mean, I'd have to go and beat him up!"

"You'd do that for _me?!_"

Akatsuki dropped his shoulders and sighed, bringing a hand to his face. He'd really stepped into it that time. Aidou had brought himself quickly back onto his feet, brushing himself off and pulling himself together. He smiled softly, noticing the red of Akatsuki's cheeks at his embarrassment.

"I just wanted to help Akatsuki." Aidou told him, his blue eyes icy and sympathetic as they glowed in the dark of the room. "And…I felt jealous…of Miyake…because he knows things about Akatsuki that I don't."

Akatsuki looked up, surprised by this, watching Aidou as he lowered his eyes. He'd no idea that Aidou felt that way…no idea at all. He rubbed the back of his neck again, trying to think of a reply, a way to reassure Aidou but he couldn't think of anything more to say other than…

"What can I do?"

"What can you do?" Aidou was confused, but met Akatsuki's eyes none the less and tried to think. "Give me something from Akatsuki that only I can have."

Akatsuki pulled a face. "Like what?"

"Something important. Something that you'd trust only me with." Aidou's eyes were entirely serious, Akatsuki seemed to be thinking deeply, but he seemed to be unable to think of anything, he even looked around the room.

But it clicked in Aidou's head suddenly, and he had the perfect idea. As Akatsuki shut his eyes to think Aidou approached him and reached up, putting his hand behind Kain's neck and pulling him forwards. Pressing his lips to Akatsuki's throat gently, catching Kain entirely off guard, he bit down into the heated flesh, his eyes gently shut and still with his arm holding Kain forwards he began to drink. Kain's tensed body became relaxed, somehow…he felt as though he'd had that coming to him.

Aidou licked away the last of the blood from the healing wound, breathing out against his throat, still unable to let go. "I…I think we're even now." He whispered.

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Kaname believed that his interpretation of Miyake Souta was very fair. But after the faint scent of blood that had carried through the air the night prior he thought that maybe there was something more to him, and this caused him to become uneasy.

Ichijou had been worrying about Miyake as much as the others had, and although Kaname was partial to the gossip he'd heard about Miyake over the years he found himself suddenly immersed and trying to sieve out the truths, if there even were any.

He didn't believe the violent one, that was a lie…Miyake wasn't violent, but he was angry, always so angry. He looked that maybe he would lash out at any moment; even Kaname could sense it as he watched him in class, wondering about what was going on inside of his head. Usually Kaname wouldn't stress about something like that…something as trivial as a new student in the Night Class, but indeed there was something unusual about Miyake Souta and Kaname sought to find out what it was that was making everyone so nervous.

He had a strange look in his eyes from time to time. Kaname thought he was playing a game, being a sort of puppeteer, pulling the strings…or maybe even a puppet, playing the part. But it went deeper than that. Although Kaname figured that it was probably true that Miyake wasn't very fond of humans, many vampires weren't, he thought that the reason behind it was more complex…and that was where his history with Akatsuki came into play.

Kaname didn't care much for the story, he didn't really know it, how could he? It was just between Akatsuki and Miyake, but he'd heard of something like that once, about children vampires…or at least younger vampires, doing irrational things because they thought it was for the best.

And Akatsuki was a very dutiful vampire, but a gentle one. Maybe it was simply a case of _if you can't, I will_. That's how it usually happened. Miyake had been the stronger one, able to make himself do such a thing, becoming emotionally detached. Kaname buttoned up his uniform jacket and straightened out his tie, looking at his reflection. He was so annoyed that this bothered him so much…but at least he didn't feel as though Souta was a threat anymore…and he was keeping Kiriyuu Zero busy.

He would confront Miyake soon enough, but until then he would be loosely on guard, no more than usual, wondering if he would slip up and the mask that he wore would smash and leave him broken.

It was possible, of course it was. He couldn't continue this façade, not forever, he'd soon get tired of it…and if Kaname knew Ichijou - which he did rather well - then although he was intimidated by Miyake, he'd no sooner hate him than kill someone. He would warm to Miyake, just like he did to everyone else.

As for Akatsuki, he would probably remain sore, but he wouldn't allow it to keep him down for long…it was Aidou he worried about, that was where the trouble would begin. Aidou was incredibly intelligent but there was always the chance of misbehaving with Aidou, he never seemed to learn his lesson.

Kaname allowed a sigh to grace his lips, but he would attempt to keep his spirits at their usual level, he wished to confront Yuuki that night, inquire about this masked-ball that the chairman had told him about rather speedily at the end of their session the night before. He didn't think it was a bad idea, no of course not, only that he hadn't had any say in it, it was entirely the idea of the chairman's. Ichijou thought it was a wonderful idea, but Kaname knew that the others wouldn't entirely warm up to the idea easily, always so cautious of the behaviour of one another around the humans, waiting for someone to slip up.

Ichijou knocked on the door, asking if he was yet ready, Kaname soon left with the rest of the Night Class students, contemplating still the many multitude of questions that usually berated his mind as well as the recent ones…catching Miyake Souta at the corner of his eye, looking only momentarily at the necklace that he wore like a charm around his neck. The unusual yet familiar patterns on the crucifix along with the strange aura that it seemed to carry made Kaname feel that maybe this played a part in Miyake's strange personality and affect on those around him. Kaname held no doubt in his mind that this creature had immaculate skills, he could charm the skin off the bone, with eyes like that, so child-like yet seductive…it was a wonder to Kaname that he'd not yet managed to seduce half of the Academy…yet instead he seemed to pick out certain individuals and keep the rest at arms length.

He tried not to think about it anymore. It was beginning to form a problem, and that was that the more he was curious of Miyake, the more people became worried. It seemed that Kaname could not be concerned by something - no matter how small - without the rest of the Night Class students feeling incredibly uneasy.

On the walk towards the gate that lead onto the Academy, Kaname bore witness to Ichijou's friend-making skills once again as he honed in on Miyake as he walked idly at the back of the group. Probably unmeaning to - Akatsuki also had his eyes glancing towards them once in a while, Kaname read the expression in his eyes as one of contempt.

Much to Kaname's annoyance Miyake seemed to be playing along with Ichijou, talking with him, attempting to get along…Kaname couldn't stress how infuriating Miyake's temperament was. Indeed he was one of a kind, unusual and certainly unique in every what way. Though his mood seemed to ease, calming, once Yuuki was in his sights.

Zero sighed, his hands in his pockets as again Yuuki blew at the whistle trying to form a line on the other side, though seemed to be out of luck again, it had been a very eventful day and the school was excited because of the masked-ball…Zero wasn't fond of the idea but he'd have no say in the matter either way.

The gates opened and out appeared the Night Class, the crowd of fan-girls falling somewhat quiet, their admirations became murmurs as they watched them glide past. Zero's eyes honed in on Kaname as he whispered something to Yuuki, a crease marring his brows at her curt and blushed response. He looked away for a moment or two, down at the ground as the rest of the Night Class wondered by, only then to raise his eyes once more for Miyake Souta, his mysterious new opponent.

Miyake walked passed without making eye-contact…that would probably be for the best, he didn't need any kind of acknowledgement from him, it would cause more harm than good…besides, his ego was damaged enough as it was.

He eyed Yuuki's reddening cheeks as Kaname walked away, a crease appearing between his brows although he remained silent as usual, unspeaking and not arguing…just quietly contemplating…what if things had been different?

Zero had been in quiet thought over the day too about his meeting with Miyake the night before…he'd mulled over it, no one noticing anything different with his attitude or behaviour…though there was something greatly troubling him - at least it was another thing to add to the weight he carried upon his shoulders.

Miyake's blood had tasted like Kuran's.

Zero wasn't proud of this analysis in fact he was far from it, but he'd been unable to think about much else…it had been troubling him enough about Miyake Souta…that there was such little information on him, he doubted that even his master Yagari Touga had heard of him before…that was unusual really…the Council usually knew pretty much everything about any vampire, but this one seemed to avoid that pretty well. Coming to the Academy must have been a big step.

He didn't want to be troubled by this but he couldn't think as it what it meant…did it mean that Souta was the estranged son of a pure-blood? Or something else…? Zero hadn't intended upon asking anyone about it anytime soon, yet if his curiosity got the better of him then he may delve deeper into it than what is necessary.

As the crowds dissipated now that the Night Class where inside, Zero set off on his own after telling Yuuki that he would catch her later, she told him not to slack off again and headed in another direction.

Zero ran his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath, vanishing into the trees at the far end of the Academy, keeping his ears open as the night began as usual…and yet Zero could not force himself to be calm. He was too curious…to confused…Miyake's personality was so strange…so intriguing…he didn't think this person genuine at all, certainly not after their conversation. It was more than obvious that he was acting, but Zero wanted to know why he was doing such a thing around people who were the same as he was.

Was he afraid of something?

Zero hadn't yet ruled out that Miyake was dangerous…very vampire was dangerous…he was probably violent too. He was unpredictable…irrational, maybe? He didn't think there was much use in him trying to figure out Miyake's character, it would probably change by the next time they managed to talk, if at all.

Clenching his teeth Zero pressed his face into his hands in annoyance. Why did it bother him so damn much? Miyake Souta was just another vampire, right? Just another damn vampire…so why? _Why_?

He would gladly shoot himself in the head because of it.

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Souta sat in class, watching the moon outside the window glow silver in the haze of the night…and wondered…_is Zero thinking about me too?_

He smirked. He hoped so. He didn't mean to seduce Zero…no…that was a lie…yes he had meant to seduce him, he smiled at the thought of him…he was probably confused, moping…_why, oh why?_ Souta lowered his head and stared down at the page in his text book, licking his lips.

Toying with the crucifix that dangled from his necklace, Souta tried to ignore the eyes that had been watching him randomly on and off all night. Kuran Kaname seemed to be suddenly aware of him…why was that? He wondered…had he smelt his blood the other night? _Does he think I've been up to no good?_ Souta didn't care; he was in too much of a good mood that night.

Also, he'd met Cross Yuuki-chan face to face. She was cuter that he'd hoped she would be…the one that Zero and Kuran both had feelings for…he wondered which one she liked most? Kaname…he decided…if he was in Yuuki's shoes, he'd fall in love with Kaname. Zero was too much of a brat…_but I like that…_

"Ne, Miyake-kun?" a voice brought him out of his reverie. Souta glanced leisurely to his right, matching eyes with Ichijou-senpai…who seemed to be attempting friendship. Souta had decided that he liked Ichijou.

"Yes, Ichijou-senpai?"

"Have you got anything planned this weekend? Ichijou asked quietly as to not disturb the rest of the class. Miyake raised a curious eyebrow and shrugged.

"Not that I'm aware of…did you have something in mind, senpai?"

Ichijou grinned, pleased by this answer. "As a matter of fact, Shiki-kun and I plan on going to town for some ice-cream," he replied. "That's if we can get permission. But it shouldn't be a problem."

"I wouldn't want to impose on your and Shiki's day out," Miyake replied, he didn't know how to reply to something like that.

"Oh no, you won't be, it will be nice to get to know Miyake-kun better. Shiki thinks so too."

Miyake hadn't been able to turn it down…he wasn't sure that he could. Ichijou didn't seem like the kind of creature to take no for an answer. Miyake's thoughts wondered differently from then on…no one had ever tried to be friends with him before…was this some kind of ploy? He hoped not. He liked Ichijou and Shiki…it would be nice if they liked him back.

The night continued on smoothly, Souta realising that Ichijou was his friend. Which was nice. He glanced towards Kain on their way out, he was still avoiding his eyes, but Souta knew…he knew what Kain was still thinking…that although he didn't hate Souta…not really - his heart wanted to. Kain wanted to dislike him, which hurt Souta just as much. He didn't want this to continue anymore…what had happened in the past should remain in the past…right?

_Does he think that I don't feel any pain? Does he think…does he think that I don't care…? _

The sad part was that before Ichijou, Kain had been his only friend. After Kain stopped coming to see him Souta realised he'd become bitter…always angry…resentful. No one else had noticed. They'd all believed him to be like that anyway. It was easier to pretend.

He sighed, trying to force out those tiresome thoughts, wondering if Zero was watching him tonight…hoping that he was there. It would bring him some ease. Zero was indifferent…he was a vampire, so strong enough to stand against him, he wouldn't break if Souta got too close…but also he was an ex-human…which separated him…

Souta was sad for Zero although he probably wouldn't say it to his face. He couldn't imagine what he'd gone through…though Shizuka-hime…she'd been the one who'd done this to him. The Shizuka he remembered appeared to be a beautiful spectre that had captured his weak and sad heart…she'd brought him comfort where she'd brought Zero pain.

He wondered if Zero would hate him if he remembered what had happened between them. If Zero had his memory back…if Souta hadn't blocked it in the first place. There would be anger again…hatred…Souta had said stupid things, but sometimes he just couldn't help himself. There was never anyone to listen to him, never anyone who cared long enough…and never anyone he wanted to burden with these things.

He'd been selfish in what he'd said to Zero…and now he'd brought this curse upon himself. How he wanted Zero…to taste his blood and his lips. Souta bit back a laugh at his dirty thoughts, bringing a hand to his mouth to hide his smirk as he felt Zero near.

Zero hadn't been able to patrol properly. He hated it. He _really, really, really_ hated it. What was suddenly worse was that he realised that Souta was looking in his direction, at least glancing at him through the trees. Zero scowled and looked away…he'd not even noticed that Kuran wasn't with the group. He sighed and moved away, he didn't want to be there anymore…he didn't want to care anymore; he had enough on his plate without having to worry about that too.

Miyake felt his heart sink a little at Zero's harsh stare. At least he was honest. He didn't want to be around Miyake…most people just lied to him or avoided him. Miyake could respect honestly…but maybe that was rather hypocritical of him. He would wait for Zero…but he hoped that he didn't have to wait very long. Souta wasn't sure how long he could stand it.

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thanks again :) review please! (will probably be SoutaZero in next chapter so you can look forwards to that!)


	6. Chapter 6

Hia, I've been away for a while so sorry about the late update

Hia, I've been away for a while so sorry about the late update. More yummy reviews please!

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Chapter Six

The next day was grubby and the sun did not manage to shine through the clouds. Souta looked out of the window and yawned, he'd not managed to sleep in what was left of the night and had been awake all morning, wondering. How could he remain here at the Academy? He was already tired of it all…he'd never wanted to be there to begin with, but somehow he felt he'd already buried himself into his own grave. He ran his fingers through his messy hair and wondered why Ichijou and Shiki had asked him to go out with them…

Were they even allowed out during the day? Souta yawned and stretched himself out over his bed and rolled onto his side…he liked ice cream…but there would be so many more humans…so many of them…and right then he only cared for a small hand full of them…Zero didn't count anymore. Zero wasn't human no matter how he looked at it.

Souta pressed his hand against the pendant around his throat and breathed in. Would his mother really want him to be doing these things? She would be upset with him if she knew what he was up to. He licked his lips…he just couldn't help himself. The Academy didn't amuse him, the humans were like any other and the vampires even more typical…but somewhere in his heart he was happy…thanks to his mother he may actually have some friends.

Souta sat up again and reached for his glass of pink water and sighed. He couldn't stand the stuff, he'd rather eat rats…_I'd rather eat Zero…_he placed his fingers to his lips and shut his eyes, heaving a deep breath, so pleased that such a creature as Zero existed, such a frail and human mind, yet a creature strong enough to stand against him, and to challenge him…to understand what he was. If Zero was female he'd be over the moon, but honestly Souta couldn't see himself as that fussy, Zero as he was, was perfectly fine too.

Souta didn't expect to receive any guests that morning, yet as he sat there, minding his own business his chamber door opened and in appeared the form of someone he'd never expected to see.

Quickly onto his feet Souta's topaz eyes looked up to the burning ember eyes of Kain. Souta folded his arms and sighed. "Did Aidou tell you that I was picking on him again? Because it was just that once - and he started it."

"You can drop the act, Miyake." Kain's eyes drew downwards, but lifted again and met Souta's who scowled and turned his head aside. "We should talk."

"You want to _talk_?" Souta scoffed and raised an eyebrow. "You're joking right?"

"I think this needs to end."

Souta lowered his eyes and felt a burning in his chest. He glared at Kain, and balled his fists at his sides. "Some nerve you have, Akatsuki…I've nothing to say to you -,"

"I'm sorry."

"_What_?" Souta felt as though his whole body had dropped and he slumped in a heap on the ground, his eyes were glassy and hopeful…had he just heard that right.

"I couldn't understand back then…I couldn't understand what it must have taken for you to do what you did…and although I still can't entirely forgive you for what happened…I just want to let you know that I'm sorry. You didn't deserve to be treated this way by me…and please, excuse Hanabusa…he's very…_spirited_." Kain's voice was entirely sincere; he breathed out a sigh and ruffled the back of his hair. "I should have told you this a long time ago…I just want you to know that although you may fool the others, you can't fool me. You're still the same fearless idiot you were all those years ago." Kain shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets. "Well that's all I have to say."

Kain turned to leave the room, reaching for the door handle, yet felt arms embrace him from behind and a face press between his shoulder blades…the same height as Aidou.

"Akatsuki…do you hate me?"

Kain lifted his head, surprised by the question and the small voice that had been used to speak it. He scowled and shook his head. "I don't." he replied. "But you're an idiot…do yourself a favour Souta…stop trying to be what people think you are…be yourself. Then they wouldn't be able to hate you."

………………………………………………………………………………….

Yuuki and Yori found their way into town that morning, shopping was on the agenda, Yori had decided, besides, the dance was coming up soon and Yori wanted the both of them to be prepared for it. Yuuki was only excited because she'd not seen Yori as excited for a dance before. She smiled as she was dragged into the nearest boutique and watched Yori as she went towards the feathered masks at the back of the store that were kept in glass cases.

Yori pointed at the glass and towards a mask that looked to be like butterfly wings, feathers and sequins decorated it in the shape of two large butterfly wings of blues and greens and purples, Yuuki smiled. "Is Yori going to go as a butterfly?"

"Nope, but I'd like any kind of excuse to buy something like that. You know, a masked ball is right down my street." She grinned as their eyes searched the rest of the masks, seeing ones that were made from china and even one beautiful one shaped out of glass and held by a golden staff. Yuuki smiled, it really was a nice thing.

"Do you know what you're going as then?" Yuuki asked, moving around the store with Yori as they headed towards the gowns. She watched Yori shrug and turn around.

"I'm not sure…a big cat like I said, but I don't know which one to go as…any offers?" Yori turned towards Yuuki and put out her hands, Yuuki thought for a moment or two and looked around the store and spotted just the thing.

"Go as a tiger." She smiled and pointed out an oddly attractive gown at the back of the room that was mostly black but had a kind of bustle on the back that was striped. "That could work. I mean it's not costume right? Just masked."

"Tiger!" Yori smiled. "Okay - now Yuuki's turn. Oh wait - that reminds me, did you have a costume in mind for Zero?" Yori asked as she turned towards Yuuki whilst they looked over the gowns again. Yuuki eyeing a pale pink one with long flowing sleeves.

"Oh yeah," Yuuki smirked darkly and placed a hand to her mouth as if to hide her evil smile. "I made a point to get that early, because I know that he won't make an effort. Ahh…I hope he'll wear it." Yuuki placed her hands together, and she and Yori headed out of the store and towards another one where Yori could see more different masks.

"Will you tell me or is it a surprise?"

"Surprise!" Yuuki smiled. "It's just that I know he's not going to like it, so I just want to prolong the secret in my mind as long as possible before he rejects the idea." Yori nodded in understanding. Yuuki sighed as Yori opened the door to the next store, though as she did so behind her Yuuki caught the glimpse of three familiar faces and the crowd that seemed to form around them.

She paused for a moment and watched the three of the eagerly as they glided down the street. Ichijou-senpai, Shiki-senpai and Miyake-senpai…she'd not expected to see them out and about during the day, though she reasoned that it was cloudy and dark enough. She watched them until Yori called her into the store and she minded her own business…Ichijou-senpai could be trusted maybe even Shiki-senpai, it was only Miyake-senpai that she was weary of, mostly because she didn't know him well enough to entirely pass judgement. She hoped that everything would be okay.

Miyake looked around him, the air was tinged with blood, the groups of mortals that flocked around them even now…they were more discrete than the groups of girls at school and yet they were still watching. Souta rubbed the back of his neck and shut his eyes subtly as Ichijou and Shiki walked to his right, he simply followed them earnestly.

Why had he gone again?

_He asked me nicely…he wants to be my friend…which means he doesn't hate me. Why do I find that so annoying?_

She sighed without meaning to, which drew Ichijou's attention. "Are you feeling alright, Miyake-kun?"

Souta raised his eyes and looked towards Ichijou and thought…_how should I reply?_ He looked around him and swallowed remembering Kain's words. "I…I don't really like large crowds." He replied honestly.

Ichijou smiled and placed his hand on Souta's shoulder. "I know, its hard right? But I suppose you get used to it, right Shiki?" Ichijou turned slightly to Shiki but he jus nodded and didn't say anything, and Ichijou turned back to Souta still with a smile on his face. "But don't let it get you down. Look, ice cream. Like they say, there's always a light at the end of the tunnel."

Souta smiled. He'd never met anyone like Ichijou before…he seemed easy to figure out, a good person, but somehow Souta saw some layers to Ichijou, he was a good person, but Souta couldn't help but wonder where his loyalties lay. Not that it really mattered. Ichijou seemed to float off ahead of he and Shiki, and Souta heaved another sigh, but that time he was trying simply to clear his mind.

No matter how he looked at it, he would have to get used to this…at least to just keep his mother happy. But as his eyes wondered among the human populace he couldn't help but see all of the dangers that surrounded them…a crumbling wall that children were climbing over…the cars, the pickpockets with knives or guns. He ran his fingers through his hair.

Humans were too frail.

"He's been worrying about you,"

Souta glanced to his right at Shiki, certain that he'd heard him speaking. "You mean Ichijou…?"

"Ichijou's been worrying…his hair will turn grey…" Shiki sighed. "Never mind."

Souta watched Shiki as he eventually followed after Ichijou who was calling them in from the door of the ice cream parlour. Souta didn't know what to think just then. He placed his hands into his jacket pockets, a crease appeared between his brows and he felt a strange swirl of guilt coil in his stomach. He wished he had somewhere to put all of those feelings…he suddenly really yearned for his outlet.

"Are you coming, Miyake-kun?"

Souta looked at Ichijou and Shiki, but he turned away, and left.

"Is it okay to let him go?" Shiki asked, he and Ichijou standing in the doorway. Shiki glanced at Ichijou who seemed to be wearing a small yet hopeful smile.

"I trust him. Doesn't Shiki-kun?"

Shiki sighed and shrugged, following Ichijou as he headed back into the ice cream parlour, but he took one final glance back at Souta as his form seemed to bleed into the crowd, he didn't say anything more.

Souta looked up at the high buildings around him and breathed in the heat around him…the scent of blood that flooded over him from somewhere near by. A small child had fallen over, crying over a grazed knee.

Souta looked down blankly at the sobbing child…he wasn't anything older than four, with broad and glassy brown eyes, smooth golden hair yet with red cheeks and grubby hands. Souta's eyes softened. He leant down ahead of the child and reached into his pocket for his handkerchief. "Here," he said as he knelt ahead of the child. "I bet that hurts,"

The small child wiped his eyes with podgy hands and sniffed through the tears, watching Souta with glassy eyes as he gently placed the folded handkerchief against his knee in order to stem the bleeding. "There you go,"

"Tha…thank-you…" the child sobbed, looking up at Souta's smiling face.

"So, what's your name?" he asked as he wiped the child's face clean. "I'm Souta."

The boy sniffed again, wiping his own face with the grubby hands, Souta noticed the friends that the boy had been playing with were starting to come back, maybe wondering where their fourth companion had gone. "I'm Tomi…"

"Okay, Tomi-chan, how about we go and find your okaa-san, ne?"

Yuuki watched from across the street as Souta lifted the small child into his arms, speaking to him all the while. The boy laughed, Yuuki smiled. This was a side of Souta she'd never thought she'd see…at first she was somewhat alarmed…a small boy, fresh blood and a vampire…she'd feel a little anxious with anyone, but since it had been Souta, a vampire that so far had only been ridiculed for his bloodlust and hate of humans, she'd been unusually on edge.

She saw no sign of malice on his features, and true to his word he was carrying the child towards the approaching mother who had been worried it seemed, having dropped her shopping as she reached out to accept her son back.

Yuuki noticed maybe for the first time that a vampire had a bashful smile. She never thought that there could be such a thing…certainly not from a creature who seemed so confident. She didn't know what to think of Miyake-senpai, but like the others she'd offered him the benefit of the doubt, and refused to judge him from word of mouth. She liked him, and he'd just done something that not many other humans would do, let alone vampires.

"So he's a boy scout," Yori smiled, appearing at Yuuki's shoulder holding a small bag of chocolates. She offered one to a smiling Yuuki. "You look like a proud mother." Yori joked.

"He'd probably kill me if he finds out I saw that…" Yuuki mused and she and Yori began to head again back into town, Yuuki risking another glance at Souta, realising that he was heading back towards the Academy.

……………………………………………………………………………….

Souta needed time to breathe.

He sighed as he entered the Moon Dorms, noticing Aidou on the settee and Kain on its opposite. He made a note to avoid making eye contact with them, but that didn't seem to stop them from taking the hint.

"What happened to ice cream?" Aidou asked as Souta reached the staircase.

"Didn't care for it," Souta replied coldly, Aidou glaring at him as he followed him with his eyes up the stairs. Kain heaved a sigh and lifted his feet onto the table, he didn't know if he'd managed to get through to either of them…it didn't appear so but he was beginning not to care.

Souta entered his dorm room and searched through his unpacked stuff, things that he'd not touched since he'd arrived at that place. He heaved forwards a full case, and unclipped it, revealing a full array of watercolour paints and brushes, with pencils and charcoal and other artistic supplies. Shuffling through it all he pulled out a worn sketch book and reached for a piece of charcoal that he put in his pocket.

With the sketch book under arm he lifted the hood of his jacket and headed for his bedroom window, opening it. He didn't want the others knowing that he was leaving; they may not allow him out on his own.

He made certain that he locked the window again before he leapt away towards the academy grounds. Yawning, he felt the heat of the sun as it began to appear through the clouds, though it still looked as though it was about to rain. He stretched his arms above his head and looked up at the sight of the academy, and measured it out with his eyes, it was a nice sight. It would do nicely for the next subject of his work.

Zero had slept in through most of the morning, but he'd been awoken by the sounds of the other students in the halls and eventually from the echo of cheering from outside as some of them began playing soccer on the grounds. Zero yawned and rolled over, eventually his eyes opened but only after a long and hard battle.

He rolled back onto his back, and lifted a hand to rub his face with another yawn before he heaved himself up to sit. It felt like it was going to be one of _those_ days.

Getting out of bed was a challenge, but he was hungry so he eventually found himself heading for the Chairman's kitchen again, a favourite haunt of his. Yuuki he knew had gone into town shopping with Yori, the Chairman had vanished off somewhere with his old master Yagari Touga, it seemed to have become some kind of bad habit, Zero noticed, that they'd wonder off together.

With another yawn but with a full stomach, Zero headed through the academy for a short patrol, he'd nothing better to do as far as he knew. The day was grubby but it looked as though it had already begun to clear up, he walked calmly through the grounds, he felt at ease which was unusual, but he decided that he wasn't going to bother worrying about it. He remained silent as he walked; calmly deciding that he would need to inquire about Miyake Souta once more…_damn it_….

Zero stopped and sighed, dropping his shoulders. A whole morning without thinking about him and suddenly…_why?_

Yet when Zero looked up he think he suddenly reasoned why.

Sat at the foot of a tree, shaded and hooded, sat a figure with his knees drawn up to his chest as a sketch book was rested against them. Yet this person didn't seem to be drawing. His head was slumped forwards as if sleeping.

Raising an eyebrow Zero approached, thinking that maybe it was a Day class student, but the closer he got the more he realised that had just been wistful thinking. He realised that it was Souta as soon as he got close enough to make out the figure properly. He stood at his side, he was completely out cold. Zero eyed the picture, then looked up at the academy through the trees, realising it was just like looking at a photograph.

He hadn't expected that, but then again, he hadn't expected him to be out there sleeping either…why was that?

Zero lifted a foot and thought to prod him until he woke up, send him back to the Moon dorms, but Zero paused before he could do anything and remained still, watching Souta's small form, and he did seem small as he sat there, almost like a child. Zero stepped back, he didn't do anything, instead he only left. He'd nothing to say…and Miyake Souta…he didn't know him at all.

_You're like the rest of them…_Zero thought_…so why are you so different? _

Zero shuffled away with his hands in his pockets, a grim frown upon his brow as he allowed his mind to wonder. He didn't want to know anymore about Miyake Souta; in fact he thought it too dangerous to know anymore about him. He wanted to let it die, he shouldn't be so interested in knowing about a vampire, it was…_weird_. He heaved another sigh and placed his hand against his face, narrowing his eyes as he took a seat on one of the steps leading up to the academy entrance.

"So annoying…"

…………………………………………………………………………………….

"You seem preoccupied tonight, Kaname," Ichijou noted later on that evening, joining Kaname in his room as he stood at the window looking out at the night.

"How was it?"

Ichijou sighed and dropped his shoulders. "I think he's starting to come into himself. He came back to the dorms, he never had ice cream with us…I think Shiki may have said something to him to make him reconsider." Ichijou told him, but rubbed the back of his head. "Why does he have such a malicious aura, I wonder? Even when he's at ease…"

"The necklace he wears," Kaname began, turning at his desk he lifted a book from the counter and opened it, showing it to Ichijou, there was a sketch in there of a crucifix that resembled the one that Miyake wore almost exactly.

"The necklace…?" Ichijou voiced.

"I'm not sure why he wears the thing, but it's an old fashioned method of taming a level E vampire." Kaname cleared up for Ichijou, though almost caused him to choke on air of clear surprise.

"Level E?"

"Miyake Souta is not a level E vampire," Kaname voiced aloud so as to stop any confusion. "Yet he wears such a thing. In level E vampires it was used - along with a tattoo in order to temporarily regain the conscious of the level E so that it could be questioned. They called it the Judas Cross."

Ichijou looked down at the picture again. "The Judas Cross…and what does that mean? Why does Miyake-kun wear such a thing?"

Kaname turned back towards the window, and folded his arms neatly behind his back. "I have my suspicions." He told Ichijou. "But right now, I hope to keep it between us, Ichijou, the others may feel even more uneasy about him. I don't want that."

"Of course, Kaname-sama." Ichijou replied as he placed the book back down onto the desk, shutting it, his eyes gently lowered.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Yuuki met up with Zero later that evening ready for patrol, he seemed his usual self again, although she was still somewhat concerned about his behaviour recently, realising how he'd been pretty much avoiding her for the past few days.

"Is everything okay, Zero?" She asked as they headed towards the academy itself, seeing as this was usually where the disruption was if any. She looked up at Zero, but his eyes were far away, he didn't seem to be paying her any attention. She dropped her shoulders and sighed, she couldn't understand what was wrong with him. "Does this have something to do with the transfer student?"

"Huh?"

"Thought that might get your attention." Yuuki smiled, still looking up at Zero's baffled face, his violet eyes were hazy and far away, yet he looked like his usual self again quickly, he must have just been thinking about something. "Is that's what's bothering you? Because honestly I don't think there's anything to worry about with Miyake-senpai." She told him, recalling the hours earlier when she'd watched him help that small child.

Zero lowered his head, but said nothing and continued walking at her side, his hands in his pockets again his mind elsewhere. Yuuki looked forwards, she didn't think that she'd be able to get through to Zero, but she would continue to try.

"He hasn't done anything bad, right?" Yuuki asked. "He's just like the other night class students, right?"

"You honesty think that?" Zero finally voiced, making eye contact with Yuuki whose smile vanished as the realised the seriousness in Zero's uncompromising eyes. "You don't think that there's anything odd about him?"

Yuuki shrugged. "I'm not sure…but, whenever I look at him, I always feel that he's a sad person. He smiles but I don't feel that it's really who he is…but there's nothing other than that, that separates him from the others." She shrugged. "But he reminds me a little of Zero."

Zero winced at that. "Why would he remind you of me?"

Yuuki moved to walk ahead of Zero though continued to walk with her arms behind her back as they crossed the grounds. "His eyes. They're sad like yours are, not always but they're still sad…like he's hiding something…like he doesn't want anyone else to know. It's a shame, because he'd look so much nicer with a smile in those eyes. Just like Zero."

Once Zero had separated from Yuuki he headed inside for a short while, thinking that he'd heard the whisper of music. He thought he should follow it, worried that maybe it was a day class student making light of the school rules. Yet when he'd arrived there was no longer any music, and everything was still.

Zero sighed and rested against a wall, placing a hand against his face. He breathed in and shut his eyes. What Yuuki had said had really gotten to him…he'd been curious about Miyake Souta since he'd arrived, he'd seen the sadness in his eyes and in his smile…he wished he could remember what had happened between them to have made him erase his memory. But no matter what he did he couldn't remember a single thing.

"Damn you piss me off so much," he growled, clenching his fist and punching it into the wall behind him. Zero shut his eyes again, tightly and took in another deep breath, though opened his eyes at once. The scent of blood was on the air…and near by.

Souta lowered his violin to the desk and reached up, his face sore, blood running down his marred face after the string had snapped and caught his face. Such a lot of blood for one thin cut. He pressed his fingers against it, the blood ran down his finger tips as well as down his face, chin and neck. He sighed and dropped down onto the desk next to his violin.

"What was that for?" he sighed, looking down at it with curious topaz eyes. He lifted his hand to his mouth and licked the blood from his fingertips…it tasted so bitter.

Why did he feel so depressed just then?

He heard a sound outside the classroom, and looked up just as the door opened, and a familiar face appeared ahead of him. He smiled somewhat but lowered his head. "I didn't mean to distract you, Kiriyuu-kun," Souta said softly. "It'll stop in a minute."

Zero scowled, shoving his hands back in his pockets, he'd been expecting something else…but then again he knew that he'd recognised the scent of Miyake's blood…so why had he felt so concerned? He shut the door behind him and entered the room as Souta got up and began to pack away his things…there was something different about him that night.

"I shouldn't be here, I know," Souta began. "But I don't want to play it in the Moon Dorms…besides my room is too small, it blocks the sound…but the classroom is big enough…even the music room is too small."

Still with his back towards a silent Zero, Souta lifted his hand to his face to feel the small cut…he dropped his shoulders, it wasn't healing properly. _Well it may have something to do with the fact that I've not eaten for a while_…

Zero clenched his fists, lowering his eyes…he wasn't hungry…but the scent of blood…he cursed inwardly.

"I'm sorry, it must be brothering you," Souta's smile was fake, weak. Zero looked up with crimson eyes and saw a strange and dull pain in Souta's eyes that drowned the malicious aura that usually smothered him. Souta swallowed and looked away, he had to lower his violin case…feeling weak just then. Was it okay to be like this?

"What changed?"

Souta looked up and again met Zero's eyes as he began to step closer to him. Souta didn't like the feeling that was crawling within him, he felt as if things were out of his control…all of the words he'd heard…what Kain had said and what Shiki had told him, he felt as if he was about to fall apart.

He clenched his teeth and ran his fingers through his hair, lowering his face. He shut his eyes, trying to control his emotions…_Zero doesn't care…he doesn't care…none…none of them…they don't care…_ Souta wiped the blood from the cut that had finally stopped bleeding. He couldn't look at Zero again; he'd see the confusion and weakness in his eyes. He couldn't afford that.

"You had no problem with talking to me before." Zero pointed out, the blood lust calming within him. "What changed?" he asked again. He didn't step any closer, he was little more than two feet away from Souta and he guessed this probably to be a safe distance.

Zero didn't know why he cared…but he did. Something that Yuuki said…that they were the same. Zero couldn't help but wonder…_is he suffering?_

Souta took a deep breath and composed himself, leaving the violin behind Souta shoved past Zero and attempted to leave the room, but was shocked to feel his arm tugged on and yanked back with a powerful force until his back hit the blackboard, Zero looming over him, holding his arms at his sides.

Souta stared up at him with weak topaz eyes, surprised and lost for words as Zero stared down at him eagerly…Souta shook his head. "I…I don't want to play this game anymore…"

"I'm not playing any kind of game." Zero replied harshly…Souta was that child once again, he almost looked frightened, but the confusion in his eyes was stronger.

"Does Zero really care?" Souta's voice was meek, he didn't look at Zero. "…why should Zero care?" Souta shrugged, but he did not attempt to free himself from Zero's hold, if he did that he might fall to his knees. Why was he feeling so sorry for himself? Why was he so angry…? Why was he angry that people care about him…? Shouldn't he be happy…? But why wasn't he?

Souta kept his eyes shut even as Zero let go of his arms, yet shut them tighter as he felt a hand around his throat…but opened them as the other hand came to his face. He felt Zero's breath against his cheek and the warmth of his body as he licked the last of the blood away from the invisible wound.

"…_Zero_…" Souta's voice was weak; he balled his hands at his sides as he pressed his back against the blackboard, shutting his eyes. "Why do you tolerate me…? Don't you hate vampires…?"

Souta never received an answer, only held his breath as he felt Zero's tongue against his throat, his hands holding his steady, Souta did not fight, he didn't care anymore. When Zero finally did bite down Souta felt only relief. "You can bite harder than that…" Souta whispered, lifting his arms as he clutched onto the front of Zero's jacket and pulled him closer…and just as he wanted, Zero's grip tightened on him, and his fangs bit down deeper…Souta hadn't meant too, but he felt able too, and so a tear fell from his glazed topaz eyes.

Zero felt the burning of the blood as it flooded down his throat…he'd not meant to do this! He'd not meant to bother with him or get pulled in or drink his blood…but why? Why had he done it? What was there in those eyes that made Zero _care_? Why? _Of all the stupid things that I've ever done…_ he growled inwardly, but he forgot about his stupidity, holding onto the weakening form of Souta, being told he could bite harder, and how he'd wanted too, to taste everything…to have everything…but he pulled away, a hand over his mouth…_I can't do this…_

Souta moaned as he fell onto his knees, hunched over before he weakly fell against the wall behind him, his eyes threatening to roll back into his head. His head lolled aside, Zero looked at him with broad eyes, filled with blood and aching for more of it although there was no hunger within him.

"Why?" Zero finally voiced. "Why do you let me do that? Why?"

Souta did not lift his head, but he heard the final words muttered by Souta before he fell out cold against the wall…Zero leant forwards, the words resounding on his mind…

"_Because…I like Zero…"_

……………………………………………………………………………………….

Sorry about miss-spellings…well usually with me its just the wrong word…damn typos!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Okay, I dunno if I like this chapter or not. The story seems to be taking a whole new turn…damn Souta, he's such a controlling character…well here we go. Enjoy.

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Chapter Seven

When Souta next opened his eyes, it was still dark outside. He winced, turning his head aside as he felt a dull pain in his neck, stretching his arms he blinked to clear his sights. _Where am I?_

Swallowing, his throat dry, a dull throb within his chest, Souta steadily came to realise that he was in Zero's dorm room, lying in Zero's bed. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to remember what had happened. He brought a hand to his throat, he wished he could feel the marks, but they were gone already, no evidence left behind.

He swallowed again. He felt smothered. Steadily sitting up, his aching body working against him, he realised his violin case was resting up against the side of the bed, along with his jacket…but Zero wasn't in the room. Souta sighed, leaning forwards he ran his fingers through his hair…_what have I done now?_ He felt like an idiot…Kain was right, he was an idiot…_I'm sorry, Zero…I'm so very sorry…_

He'd been feeling so sorry for himself…and that pain was still there, but he may have done something worse…Zero must be feeling awful, such a hatred for himself there had been anyway, Souta had never wanted Zero to feel worse about what he was. He'd wanted nothing other than to have Zero around to talk too…to taunt…but he couldn't do that anymore. _Be yourself_. That's what Kain had said…that's what his mother always said. He placed his fingers over the crucifix around his throat, he knew that he couldn't be himself…he didn't want to be himself…he didn't know who else to be other than who people thought he was. _Its better that way…I started to forget…_

And Zero had looked after him. He lifted himself over the side of the bed, glancing towards the door as it opened, Zero's surprised form appeared, he matched eyes with Souta as he stood up, yet almost at once Souta's knees feel beneath him and he fell to the ground. Souta sighed, and fell back against the bed…he looked away from Zero, only heard the gentle click of the door closing.

Zero filled a glass with water and placed in two blood tablets. He turned towards Souta, his jaw hardened, and handed down the reddening water. Souta only looked at the water and with slight reluctance he accepted it, holding it between his hands, just staring at it hopelessly.

Zero didn't know what he should say.

Sitting down on the bed, leaning forwards, putting his hands together he took a deep breath. He didn't think that Souta was going to speak to him again, but why did he care? He'd racked his brains about it the whole three hours that Souta had been out cold, but he still couldn't exactly figure it out. He hoped that Yuuki had been wrong, but the more he thought about it, and the less denying that he did, the more he realised how he and Souta were similar…although entirely different.

"Tha…thank-you for bringing me here…I know it must have been awkward…" Souta finally spoke, but still he didn't touch the coloured water. "I…I'm sorry, Zero."

Zero glanced towards him curiously; he wondered if he would elaborate…he wanted to know what he was sorry about.

"I…I should have just left Zero-kun alone…but I couldn't…I never wanted to be a burden to Zero…you…you'd think I would learn my lesson, but I just can't. Humans…they're frail, they break so easily, but a vampire hunter…they recognise me for what I am…they're never frightened. I just thought maybe…Zero won't push me away…but he's still keep me at arms length. At a safe distance." Souta laughed weakly. "At least you didn't shoot me like the last one did." Souta sighed and lowered his head as he recalled the painful memory. He drank down the fake blood and attempted to heave himself up onto his feet, having to use the bed to prop himself before he managed to become steady.

Zero watched Souta's back, wondering why he'd not managed to find his voice yet…was it okay to let this happen? Souta reached for his jacket and pulled it on nimbly. He met Zero's eyes…Zero had never seen something so empty before.

"What are you so afraid of?" Zero finally asked, though he didn't know what he meant by it himself, he did not take his eyes from Souta, only watched him closely, able to see the colour fading from his topaz eyes until they were almost transparent.

"Does Zero really want to know?" Souta's face was stoic, Zero could never remember seeing such a face on this creature before, so serious, so cold. Zero made no intention on replying, but Souta understood that he wanted to know. He pulled off his jacket again and placed it on the bed before again matching eyes with Zero.

"You've heard the roomer's haven't you?" he began. "About my violent tendencies? But you haven't really seen that part of me, right? And you've pretty much figured out that this Souta is all an act…that I'm not real. I'm not really this person…I've probably confused half of the populace of this school by now…and you know I couldn't even be myself if I wanted too." he lowered his eyes and placed his fingers over the crucifix. "Don't you recognise this?"

Zero looked at the necklace, he'd never really paid it any heed before, but now that he'd looked at it he felt a strange pull inside him, he knew what that was. "A Judas Cross…" he realised coming to a stand. "I thought you were a noble…" Zero scowled, it didn't make any sense.

"Yes…a 'noble'. Did you know that the hunter's council had me down on the list for the longest time? I was considered dangerous, crazed, inhumane. You know, I was never any of those things…I'd lived for a long time with my mother in the middle of nowhere, I didn't care to hear about the outside world and I did not harm anything in it or go anywhere near it…but there was one time when I thought to leave the grounds…just for a few hours." Souta's face was sad, he drew away from Zero, before looking him in the eyes again, trying to fight the emotions that were building within him.

"In those few hours I met a vampire hunter. She…she was young, about the same age as I was…and she sat next to me on the bus. I know…I took a bus…" Souta nervously ran his fingers through his hair as his back met the wall, Zero eyed him curiously, he wanted to know where this story was going…he already felt a strange pang of sorrow deep in his torso. "She…she knew what I was. But…I'd never met a vampire hunter before, I didn't know that she was one…she attempted to befriend me the whole bus journey…_I'll be here the same time tomorrow_, she said, _if you want to talk some more_…" Souta swallowed, his eyes couldn't meet Zero's anymore. "You know…I never wanted a human friend. Never. Humans…humans can't be around vampires…but she was insistent…she was different. I believed her, stupidly I believed her."

Zero had never heard of something like that before. Souta wouldn't have been killed…no…the hunter's council wouldn't have ordered him killed unless he was a level E…he was born of noble blood…why would they do that?

"It's okay if Zero doesn't believe me…it doesn't matter what I say. I could be lying." He met Zero's eyes again. "Actions speak louder than words with Zero."

"Tell me." Zero finally voiced. "Tell me what happened."

Souta took a deep breath; he opened his mouth to continue. "We…we just rode on the bus together. She talked, I listened. Although I didn't want to be her friend I found myself greeting her every day on the same bus for nearly a month…then she finally confessed to me. She came to the manor, I didn't know how she knew where I lived…but she came…she confessed to me…I needed to get out, to leave…they didn't believe it they didn't believe that I wasn't crazed. No one knew I existed anyway so no one would care that I had vanished…no one would have noticed…but I was livid with anger…I couldn't forgive her…I can't stand humans…I can't…" he shook his head in anger, balling his fists as the crease between his brows deepened. "I wouldn't leave. Mother wasn't there…she was safe…so I didn't care otherwise. They could come…I admired them for thinking that they could stand against me. They knew I wasn't a level E…so I couldn't understand why they wanted to kill me…but I didn't care. I let them come.

"Hanako…she tried to reason with them…with her father…but all he could see was the blood in my eyes…he accused me of seducing his daughter…" Souta laughed bitterly, he took his eyes away from Zero and he lifted his shirt from over his head, at once catching Zero's unyielding attention. "So he shot me," Souta pointed out a scar on his left shoulder…vampires didn't get scars usually, but Zero knew that some of their anti-vampire weapons could do that, but that wasn't what horrified Zero. "And while I was down, with a cursed dagger he stabbed me in the heart." Zero's eyes were trained on the black veins that faded around the outrageous scar that still seemed to be burning into Souta's torso…and upon it rested the tattoo like seal that went along with the necklace that he wore.

"They were the ones who turned me into that level E." Souta hissed. "Miyake Souta died that night…he died and a curse caused him to live again. Without this necklace you'd need more than just bullets and astounding aim to kill me…with it you'd still need a hell of a lot of ammo." Souta pulled his shirt back on, passing his fingers over the cross and looking down at the ground. "Zero you asked me what I was afraid of." He raised his eyes, he met the violet ones of this creature, he already felt foolish, he never should have said anything… "I don't hate vampire hunters…I don't hate them because they know not to be fooled by me. Although they are the reason that I am this way…I never wanted to be hated, Zero, but if that's the only way to stop more people from being hurt then I'd rather be hated…I'd rather people fear me…but I've been so weak since coming here…I started to forget why I was this way. I started to forget why I was pretending to be this person…I became weak because there were those who were beginning to see through this façade. I really want them too.

"I hate being this way. I hate that I can't be close to anyone…so when I met Zero…I was happy for the first time in years…I was excited because I thought that I could be myself a little more around Zero because he'd be careful no matter what…but I must have caused Zero so much pain and confusion." Souta's sad eyes did not look away that time. "Thank-you, Kiriyuu-kun, for being so kind to me."

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Kaname opened his eyes as Souta entered idly through the window. Sloppy on his feet, he fell against the window and heaved a deep sigh, putting his violin case down against the window sill. He didn't notice Kaname yet, but Kaname's eyes were trained calmly upon him from the seat at his desk.

Kaname could smell Kiriyuu all over Miyake; he sighed quietly and got onto his feet as Souta finally noticed that he was there.

"Kaname-sama." He voiced out loud, nearly tripping up, but he caught himself before he could make a fool of himself, looking at Kaname with surprise in his eyes. He didn't have anything to say to Kuran Kaname, he never had. He composed himself, Kaname got onto his feet and the window shut behind Souta…Souta wondered if this was time to finally be punished…he sighed inwardly. He didn't need that just then…why couldn't he have sent him away earlier?

"Miyake-kun," Kaname's voice was calm as he approached Souta, stopping a few feet away from him. Souta could see nothing but emptiness in Kaname's eyes, it had always been like that, he couldn't think of anything other than darkness within his heart whenever they saw one another. He couldn't say that he particularly liked him, but his mother often spoke of him, often spoke of his parents as though they'd once been friends.

"Miyake-kun, I think I have a few questions that I want to ask you."

Souta pulled off his jacket and placed it aside, looking Kaname in the eyes as he was further approached. Kaname put out his hand, his fingers touched the Judas Cross and Souta's throat went dry. Kaname lowered his hand, his arm back at his side.

"Your heritage has been a mystery since the day you were born." Kaname began. "Yet I wonder…how large would the scandal be, if the true identity of your father was revealed to the night clan?" Souta's face remained stoic. He carefully watched the eyes of Kuran Kaname…what would he care?

"It almost sounds like you're trying to blackmail me, Kaname-sama." Souta voiced, his voice entirely serious as well as his brimming topaz eyes. The whiteness of his skin glowed in the darkness of the room, his eyes glimmering like a raging flame, and that malicious aura began to flood around him again.

Kaname smiled darkly. "No, not blackmail." He laughed gently. "Something far more sinister than that."

"Well if that's the case then I'm afraid that I can't help you. The identity of my father is entirely unknown to even me. My mother would not tell me a single thing. And quite frankly, I couldn't care less who he is, it makes no difference." Souta replied honestly, he eyed Kaname harshly…this vampire…how he disliked him…haunting his thoughts, always there at the very back of his mind as if trying to tell him something. The Academy had been the last place that Shizuka-hime had been seen before she'd been killed…Zero had been the culprit, but Souta could tell just by looking at Zero that it hadn't been him that had killed her. He wondered.

"It could make all the difference." Kaname replied. "Maybe it's the reason why you survived in order to have to wear that Judas Cross."

"Wow, nothing really does ever get past you does it?"

"Rarely." Kaname replied coldly. "I accepted you here because of a letter your mother sent to me. She wished that you would feel as though you could be yourself here, at first I had no qualms on the matter, the school is safe enough even with you here, you hardly sparked my interest…and yet here I am." Kaname put his hand up again, placing it aside of Souta's face. Souta remained unmoving. "The scent of your blood, eyes turn to me when it's in the air. Why is that?"

Confused, Souta moved away from Kaname. He made over to the other side of the room, but he could not take his eyes away. His jaw hardened…"What's that supposed to mean?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Kaname replied. "What does it mean, when you bleed, eyes fret for my sake…? Kiriyuu-kun has probably noticed too." Kaname continued, Souta felt as though the dagger was being twisted in his unhealed wounds…the mystery of his legacy had never bothered him before…but why did it frighten him so much now? Why did those eyes of a Kuran frighten him?

"Maybe it was luck that you look just like your mother. But we do share some similarities."

Souta's laugh was bitter and short. "Are you actually suggesting that my father was a Kuran? You're crazy…" Souta shook his head in disbelief, he could never think of anything that obscene.

Kaname smiled. "Why else would your mother fight to keep such a secret safe…? At the time that my parents were killed…how did your mother react?" Kaname's eyes did not leave Souta's for an instant as if trying to read them; Souta did not flinch or move a muscle, he couldn't. He remembered the day that the news had reached his mothers ears of the death of Kuran Juri and Kuran Haruka…he'd never known his mother to cry so hard in his life. He lowered his eyes…why? Why would Kaname tell him this now?

"You seem to be finding this hard to believe?" Kaname sighed.

"And you don't?" Souta spat out.

Kaname's eyes were indifferent. "Not really. It's not unheard of amongst people with arranged marriages. And I hear that your mother is an amazing beauty, certainly if you're anything to go by." He approached Souta again, put out his hand and trailed his fingers along Souta's slender jaw-line, lifting his face so that their eyes met again. "Could you imagine that?" Kaname smirked. "A younger brother."

Souta lifted his arm and shoved Kaname away, fire burned in his eyes as he gazed over the indifferent form of the Kuran heir. He felt as though he was being made a fool of…as if this was all a cruel joke.

"Why? Why are you telling me this? Is this supposed to mean something to me? Or are you just trying to make yourself feel good about something?"

"You know, not many of noble blood would stand up against me…not many are brave enough…but you. You've bothered every single student of the Moon Dorm since you've arrived. You hold the same air around you as I do. Though the malice within you is far more untamed…but I think that came around due to other means." Kaname's dark eyes moved towards the gleaming crucifix. "I'm sure that there are better means of lifting such a curse, rather than just covering it up."

Souta felt he could kill Kuran Kaname. "What gives you the right to -," Souta frowned, but before he could raise his voice, unexpectedly a large hand clasped around his throat and he was forced against the bedroom wall with a thundering crash. He gritted his teeth, he refused to cry out.

"There is nothing more dangerous than a pureblood vampire." Kaname hissed, so close to Souta's face that he could see his own reflection in Kaname's deep irises. "I also do not enjoy being kept in the dark, Souta. If this necklace is the only thing that is keeping your sanity intact then you're about as dangerous as I am. Do not underestimate yourself…and do not misinterpret my intentions."

Souta was dropped to the ground, he licked the blood from his lips and looked up at Kaname as the scent of blood began to raise concerns, several students had already gathered outside. Kaname composed himself, he reached down and pulled Souta onto his feet, but Souta snatched back his hand and glanced at the damage done to the wall.

"I'm glad that you made that clear, Kaname-oniisama." Souta wiped his mouth clean of blood, watching Kaname with a great intensity in his eyes.

"We will speak more on it soon, Souta. Don't go too far."

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Zero listened to Yuuki as they walked along, but he didn't say anything in return. Two days had passed since he'd heard Souta spill out his story to him, and he'd not seen him since then either.

He'd not come to any of the Night Classes and none of the other students said anything about him, it was almost as though he didn't exist anymore. Somehow Zero thought that Kuran Kaname had something to do with it, he seemed to glance at Zero a little more knowingly than usual…Yuuki hadn't noticed the rise of hostility yet…and honestly Zero couldn't fathom it. What Miyake Souta had told him had really struck a nerve, and he didn't know that he had any of those left.

He hadn't told anyone about it. He worried about the implications; he didn't want Yuuki or the Chairman to think that he'd been on speaking terms with a vampire…let alone that Souta had spilt out his heart to him. He ran his fingers through his hair…why did he feel somewhat responsible?

"Oh there you two are," The chairman greeted them but lacked his usual happy demeanour. Zero raised his eyes at once, realising that the two of them were not the only guests. He scowled as his eyes met the soft brown ones of Kuran Kaname.

"Kaname-senpai," Yuuki voiced. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm afraid there's some bad news, Yuuki." Kaname said, kindness oozed in his voice but Zero could not be fooled by it. "The Chairman and I thought it would be best if the disciplinary committee also know about it."

"What is it? Did something happen?" Yuuki looked towards the Chairman as he put down his mug onto the desk and looked up at the three of his students with an unwelcoming sigh.

"Well, as sad as it is…one of my cute little students has gone missing. Makato Seya-san. So far I've just been saying that she's been sent home because she's not well, but unfortunately that's not the truth and she's been missing for two, maybe three days." The Chairman scratched the side of his head and heaved another sigh. "Kaname-kun had informed me of his suspicions that a level E vampire may have appeared near by…though I've heard nothing from the council…"

"Do you want me to go?" Zero asked. "I can take care of that myself."

The Chairman gave a sympathetic smile. "Somehow I expected as much from you, Kiriyuu-kun." The chairman glanced at Kaname. "Is this alright with you Kaname-kun?"

Kaname glanced briefly back at Zero, he would go after the level E whether he consented to it or not. "Of course." He said calmly. "But is it alright for Kiriyuu-kun to be acting out of the council's jurisdiction?"

"Like that matters," Zero shot Kaname another glare, without waiting for the reply that was to follow and headed back to the Sun Dorms, to replace the bullets in his handgun.

The Chairman sighed. "Not that it can be helped. I'm sorry that we didn't act sooner. I'll have to take responsibility for Zero's actions." He took up his cup and brought it to his lips, he realised that Yuuki had been unusually quiet…usually when something concerned vampires she was the first in line.

"Is everything alright, Yuuki?" Kaname asked, walking along side her as they left the chairman's office. She blinked and glanced up at Kaname briefly before awkwardly tugging at the bottom of her uniform jacket. "You seem to have a lot on your mind."

"Is Miyake-senpai alright?" she asked, stopping in the corridor, looking up at Kaname who greeted her with soft eyes.

"Miyake-kun has been feeling a little unwell, so I've allowed him a few days to recuperate. He's not used to living such a life as we do here." Kaname replied, Yuuki accepted it as truth enough. "Is that what has you worried?"

"I hope that Seya-san will be okay…" she sighed, Kaname had expected as much.

"I'm sure that Kiriyuu-kun will bring her back safely."

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Zero didn't take long to single out the level E that had been causing the commotion. Deep into the backstreets of the town it lead him…for some reason it sparked off something in his memory…he'd walked from here, when he'd woken up in the town last week. He placed that memory aside, he needed to focus.

He looked at the back of the creature too much, shrouded heavily in what once many have been an overcoat, the level E tumbled forwards into the blackness of the town, Zero could hear the rumbling laughs now and again.

He climbed and jumped down the alleys, glanced up at high buildings and eventually came to an old industrial building. He snuck inside gracefully, there was no scent of blood upon the air, but he could hear movement within though he couldn't yet place it, the echoes were too great. He climbed higher, he'd have to catch the creature unawares if he didn't want it to move away before he could shoot.

Yet just as Zero could think that the girl was still alive, the heavy scent of blood wet the air, along with a thick thud and a crack that followed. Zero's eyes went broad, he followed the blood scent, he ran as fast as he could, climbing the stairs. Blood was still heavy in the air…but it didn't smell like the blood of a human.

A hunched figure leant over the girl, she wasn't moving. Zero pointed his gun at the figure as soon as he darted in through the open door, he scowled, he was too late. As the figure began to stand, the girl in arms, Zero pulled the trigger, but it was too late for him to realise who he had been shooting at.

The girl dropped from the arms of the shadowed being, she was unharmed.

Zero's eyes were broad; the scent of blood he knew all too well began to flood his senses. He lowered his gun to his side; the figure fell down onto his knees, clutching at his left shoulder. The hood dropped from his face; black hair fell from it, along with brimming topaz eyes. Zero's words were caught in his throat.

"…Miyake…"

Zero saw it now, the blood along the ground, the level E vampire a little further away. Souta must have killed it…there was nothing else to it. Zero put his weapon away and approached Souta, he fell onto his knees and reached out, concern and guilt flood through him, he wanted to help. Souta glanced up at him with blood in his eyes, and shoved him away, dragging himself onto his feet, stumbling back against the far wall.

"Miyake -,"

"Ta…take her back to the academy…she'll be okay if you take her back…" Souta managed to speak through gritted teeth, feeling the burn of the bullet as it remained wedged in his shoulder. "Zero take her back!" Souta cried.

"You're wounded! I can't leave you!"

Souta laughed and looked up at him. "Don't…don't fall into that trap, Kiriyuu-kun." He sighed, but Zero couldn't take his eyes away, the bloody crimson of his eyes was intense, glowing out from the shroud of his long dark hair. "Take her back…take her somewhere safe…"

Yuuki noticed the commotion of the Night Class, of the Chairman. She'd been patrolling around the back of the school. She'd only managed to catch the back of Zero as he ran off again; blood on his hands as he'd ran away. She ran towards the crowd as best she could, but Kaname seemed to be taking care of things, trying to calm down the rest of the Night Class students as the chairman walked through the crowd carrying in his arms the missing student.

Yuuki's eyes went broad, she ran to meet them, and watched as the chairman vanished into the building holding the girl. "Kaname-senpai!" she called, he looked back at her, he ushered the night class inside but smiled as he saw her. "Kaname-senpai, what happened? Where's Zero going?"

"He didn't say very much." He replied. "But by the looks of it, he wanted to make certain of Makato-san's safety. He may have gone back to find the level E." Yuuki turned towards the direction that Zero had ran off too, a scowl appeared upon her brows, she balled her fist.

"Kaname-sama," Ichijou muttered in a quiet tone as he and Kaname were headed back towards the class room. "It's Miyake-kun…he's not in the Moon Dorms."

Kaname smiled and nodded his head. "Thank-you, Ichijou, but I'm already aware. Please, keep it between the two of us."

Ichijou's face was uncertain but he nodded his head. "Yes, Kaname-sama."

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Souta was no longer in the room when Zero finally arrived back. He searched around him, his eyes broad, and although he could smell Souta's blood upon the air, he could not follow it, it was spread too much. He cursed at himself. How could he have allowed himself to do such a thing?

Zero headed back out of the building…he didn't know Souta well enough to guess where he would go, he only reasoned that he wouldn't go back to the Academy, but would he attack someone in the state that he was in? Zero didn't want to have to shoot him again.

Zero felt as though he was running around in circles, trying so hard to follow the scent, but when he did finally catch it, he found only a blood soaked coat, but at least he could follow the small trail of blood that Souta had probably left in his wake.

Souta ushered himself along the alleys, clutching onto his sore shoulder, anger brewing within him…the second time he'd been shot, he thought it might hurt a little less, but he was wrong…he was _very, very wrong_. "Dammit…" he grit his teeth, and fell against a wall, sliding down it. The wound wasn't healing right, such a nuisance were the weapons of hunters…though Zero…Miyake sighed; the guilt in Zero's eyes pained him almost as much as the bullet. "Please don't come looking for me, Zero…" he heaved himself back up again, hiding himself behind a trash can on the other side of the alley before he pulled his hand to check the wound.

God how he wanted blood. Just to dull the pain…it wouldn't heal the wound, not with the bullet still in it, but it would make him feel so much better. Shutting his eyes tightly, Souta braced himself as he reached up with his own long fingered hand, cutting into the wound with razor sharp fingernails, needing to get out the bullet. He bit back a cry of pain, it wasn't embedded too far into his shoulder, he managed to withdraw it without falling out cold.

This wound wouldn't kill him. But it may be the death of someone else. He flung the bullet aside and got onto his feet, so dazed, he fell against the wall again, landing on his damaged shoulder. He cried out but he bit it back quickly before it got loud, he didn't want to draw any attention to himself.

Zero prowled onwards, the only thing he had to lead him to Souta was his vampire instincts, able to hone in on the blood scent that had become easier to track once he was out of the way of the old industrial building. He couldn't fathom why it was that Souta had even moved, those bullets were fatal to vampires, he was only thankful that he'd missed any vital organs.

Zero hated vampires from the bottom of his heart, that fact had never changed, not once…but Miyake Souta was like no vampire that he'd ever met before…besides, if he died from that wound, then Zero would be held responsible. He couldn't allow that to happen, nor could he allow Miyake to harm anyone else.

Eventually Zero found the bullet; he lifted it from the ground and clutched it tightly in his hand. He was near by.

Zero's eyes finally found Miyake hidden in the shadows within another industrial building near to the river. It was abandoned, the place covered in dust. Zero was panting heavily when he entered the room, Souta looked up at him quickly, his eyes still filled with blood. He scowled at Zero and kept himself on his feet.

"Why? Why did you follow me?" he growled, slamming his fist into the wall behind him. Zero stood still for a moment to compose himself. "Why?"

"You're a danger to humans if you're out here on your own! What were you thinking wondering away from that building?! What if you'd run into someone?! What if I hadn't been able to find you?!" Zero cried, Miyake was sturdier on his feet, his eyes beginning to lose the lustre of blood. Zero clenched his jaw; saw the anger in Miyake's eyes and then the sadness.

"You're right…" Souta replied, he shut his eyes and dropped onto the ground. "But that's not what I wanted to hear…" he opened his eyes and looked up to Zero again. "Besides, you caused this mess."

"You should never have been there!" Zero retorted.

"If I hadn't been there then that girl would have been killed."

Zero shut his mouth tight, turning his head aside. He heard Souta laugh softly. "You're such a brat, Zero. You remind me of myself…its sickening."

"You're one to talk." Zero's frown deepened.

"Come here."

"What?"

"You heard me." Souta replied. "Come here." Souta put out his arm, offering it to Zero. At first Zero did nothing, only stared at Miyake's hand, at the blood upon those long fingers, he didn't move…only seconds later he found himself moving towards him, kneeling down ahead of him, licking the blood from his fingertips.

Souta rested back against the wall, looking at Zero's form as his silver hair gleamed in the blue hue of light that appeared through the holes in the walls. His eyes were sad again…he knew exactly why Zero longed for his blood so much, to taste the blood of Shizuka-hime within him, Zero enjoyed the taste, he was at ease with it…it tasted right. Other wise Souta would never have allowed such a thing. He already felt disgusted enough…he thought back to the conversation that he'd with Kuran Kaname…it was hard to believe…still so very hard…but a short conversation with his mother on the phone had confirmed it, although she'd not said it directly.

"Poor Zero." He managed to lift his other hand, running it through Zero's hair, only to have Zero look up and match eyes with him.

"Don't say that." He growled, he pulled himself away, finally regaining himself. Souta smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry, Kiriyuu-kun…" he said, Zero licked the blood from his lips but could not match Souta's eyes. "I say silly things…I always say silly things…it was wrong of me to get you involved…I shouldn't have burdened you with my words…" he lowered his eyes; they fell over Zero's long throat, passing over the burning crimson of the tattoo. Souta had always loved that. "Just like…just like it was silly of me to think that you came here…because you were worried about me…" Souta had to tare his eyes away, his heart thudded heavily in his chest, he brought his mobile hand to his face and gritted his fangs.

Zero's frown was still deep, he wanted to be resolute against this, he couldn't let this take control of him. He was disgusted in himself, the blood was like a drug, he couldn't do this anymore. About to climb onto his feet, Zero gasped as a hand gripped onto his wrist and yanked him back onto his backside, the hand around his throat as he smashed against the concrete wall behind him. Pain thundered through his head, dazed he attempted to open his eyes but he couldn't see straight.

He felt that hand around his throat, he felt his body being pressed against the damaged concrete wall, he felt the body of Miyake pressed against his, the feel of heated breath upon his throat.

He opened his eyes, attempted to move, but could not. His eyes were wide as he felt a warm tongue run down his throat, the gentle graze of fangs. He shut his eyes tight, he needed to stop this…he couldn't let this happen…

Zero was adamant…but in the seconds that seemed to have passed, Zero felt Miyake draw away slightly, trembling, the whisper of yet another apology upon his lips before he rested unconscious in Zero's arms. Dumbfounded, Zero stared down at the immobile form of Miyake, and took deep breathes.

What had just happened?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Just wondering, if I was to write another Vampire Knight fic would you guys read it? I want to write about another OC…lol…so if you'd like to hear more about it, let me know! Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

So this may be the chapter that you've all been waiting for. I hope you enjoy it. And no it didn't take me ages to write…just a while to write the ending. Jeez I feel sorry for Souta! Don't tell him I said that…I hope you like it. And review!!

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Chapter Eight

Yuuki reflected over the past few weeks that had gone by since Miyake Souta had arrived at the Academy. The first week or so had been strange, Zero seemed to be more troubled than usual, Kaname had even been acting a little odd, but no one seemed to realise it…she sighed. At least everything had gone back to normal.

Zero wasn't acting any different than usual, he hung around her a little more than he had been and Miyake Souta was back to being silent and withdrawn. She didn't see any kind of smile in his eyes anymore. He nodded to her though, whenever they did the exchange, almost as if he wanted to talk to her but felt that he couldn't. Yuuki looked down at the Night Class through the window, wondering what had changed.

The night when Zero had gone to find the level E vampire had been the beginning of it. He'd vanished into the night, and although she'd wanted to go herself, the Chairman had called her back, needing her help with Seya-san. She glanced back to Zero who stood just behind her, he wasn't paying her any heed as usual, but his eyes were always watching, his ears always listening.

She looked back towards the Night Class, everything seemed to be in order, yet the school was excited thanks to the masked ball that was coming up at the end of the week. Yuuki had already picked out her outfit, she knew that she was going to be on duty that night but she couldn't help herself, I wouldn't hurt to at least look nice. She reasoned that Zero would be wearing his uniform as usual, but she had a mask for him to wear that she thought might be amusing…if he wore it long enough.

She smiled. She was glad that Zero wasn't acting odd anymore, but she was still worried. Something had happened between he and Miyake Souta, she knew that much, but Zero refused to say anything, he refused to act as if he had anything of worth to say. The wound that Souta had come back with had been from Zero's gun, they said that Souta had appeared out of nowhere having realised there was a level E near by. Souta had voiced that it had been his fault, Yuuki noticed the glazed look to Zero's eyes, but he never said anything. Yuuki was not only surprised, but somewhat proud of Zero…that he'd helped a vampire…of course she couldn't say it, but her smile had been enough.

The odd thing was that they didn't actually return until the morning. Yuuki had been almost sick with worry, but the Chairman had made certain that she'd been busy so that he kept her occupied.

"If you have something to say, say it."

Yuuki blinked, she hadn't realised that she'd been staring. She turned away, but Zero didn't look at her, his eyes were still closed. She got up onto her feet and approached him, standing at his side. He was still the same old Zero no matter what happened to him. She smiled.

He opened his eye and peered down at her with a raised brow. "Well?"

She shook her head. "I was just thinking," she began. "Everything's gone back to normal."

"Things weren't 'normal'?" Zero questioned, opening both eyes he turned his head down, the gentle night breeze blew through his bangs, Yuuki brushed her own from her face, and looked up into Zero's spectacular eyes as she answered.

"Don't pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about. Although Zero won't say anything to me about it, I know that something was strange about Miyake-kun that worried Zero. But now it's as though he's not even here." Yuuki turned away and stood looking down over the school. "Did something happen, Zero?"

Zero looked down at her again, but he shook his head. "Nothing happened. I just kept a close eye on him, just like Chairman Cross asked me to."

Yuuki sighed.

"What's up with that disbelieving tone?" Zero scolded, glaring.

Yuuki scowled. "Zero is bad at lying!" Yuuki retorted. "Something happened and Zero doesn't want to tell me." she continued, lowering her voice slightly, Zero's face relaxed, he dropped his shoulders and watched Yuuki's back carefully. "But Zero needs to remember, that whatever happens, even if Zero hates me, I will never leave Zero's side."

Zero sighed. "How could I forget something like that, idiot," he ruffled the back of Yuuki's hair, she was about to retort when he turned around and headed away. "Come on, lets go patrol elsewhere."

Yuuki turned and watched Zero as he walked away. She sighed, her smile was sad. She knew she couldn't comprehend how much Zero had suffered…but she just wished that there was someway that she could make him feel better about himself…to help absorb a tiny bit of that pain. She saw the same ache within Miyake-senpai's eyes whenever their eyes met. She wondered if anything could be done for either of them.

"Are you coming or not?" Zero called back. Yuuki pulled herself together and momentarily followed. She thought it was okay if Zero didn't want to tell her, if that was what Zero wanted.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Souta lowered himself down onto the bed. It seemed that the day had finally come.

The night of the masked dance. He had a sort of costume ready, but he'd hardly made very much of an effort. He sighed; he didn't want to do this. Covering his face with his hands, Souta shut his eyes, there was still a dull ache in his shoulder, but he reasoned it wasn't from the wound itself. He'd not felt at ease since that night.

Oddly enough, Souta knew that he couldn't get out of the ball, Kaname was almost insistent on him going; he clearly didn't want him to be left alone again after what had happened last time he'd been left alone in the Moon Dorms.

"Last time I try to help," he muttered, and glanced over at the black shirt and pants, and the mask that his mother had sent him after he told her about the masked dance in his last letter. She'd sent him an interesting mask that looked like the face of a black panther that only covered the top half of his face. In the letter that had come with it, his mother was adamant that it suited him.

He smiled softly, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

Sitting up as he heard a knock on the door, his eyes met with that of Kain's. He shut the door behind him quietly as if checking to make certain that no one had seen him. Souta got up from the bed and watched Kain with wide eyes, wondering if he'd realised whose bedroom he'd entered.

"Lost?" Souta questioned, raising an eyebrow before Kain could turn around.

Kain stood with his hands in his pockets as always, he matched eyes with Souta and dropped his shoulders. Souta just stared at him.

"I just wanted to let you know, I know that you don't want to go to this dance, and that Kaname-sama is insisting that you go, but I'm sure he doesn't mean any ill will by it."

Souta smirked…_you wouldn't think that if you knew the same things as me._

"Is that all you came here to tell me?"

Kain scowled. "Actually," he looked back up to Souta again. "I wanted to make sure that you didn't plan on doing anything stupid tonight. You're not, are you? 'Cos that would be a hassle."

Souta placed his hand on his chin and thought for a moment or two. "Of all the things that I could do…this would be the perfect opportunity, right?" Souta replied, he laughed softly and shook his head. "I don't have anything yet, but if I do think of something, be sure that you'll be the first I'll notify." Kain nodded his head. "Thank-you, Akatsuki."

Kain shrugged and turned around, lifting his hand in the air to wave back at Miyake before he left the room again. Souta lowered his head, he knew this was Kain's form of friendship, he wanted to accept it so badly…but there was a deep sorrow in his heart. He felt the crucifix beneath his fingers…he hated that Kaname had been right…this cross, this one little thing…it was all that was keeping people safe.

Kaname heard the door of his chamber open without being knocked upon, that and he'd not asked anyone to come and see him. He reasoned who it was without looking back over his shoulder, and sure enough when he did finally turn around there stood Miyake Souta on the other side of his desk. Souta's eyes looked down at the chess pieces on the surface aside all of the papers, his eyes seemed lost.

"Just like chess, right?" He asked, he finally turned his head up and his eyes met Kaname's. "So what's your next move?"

"You tell me."

"Rook takes King." Souta replied, the white rook on the board moved and the black king fell and rolled onto its side. Kaname was amused by this; he looked back up to Souta and smiled softly.

"I never saw you as a Rook," Kaname replied. "Aren't you a knight?"

Souta shook his head. "No, if I wanted to be a knight then I'd hold a gun to your head much like Kiriyuu-kun would if he had the chance."

"Is there a reason why you're here?" Kaname asked, he turned back to the window as an insult to Souta. Souta watched Kaname closely, but lowered his eyes, fighting with the words that he had in mind.

"I want to know," Souta began. "I want to know what you're going to do about this. It's obvious enough that you wouldn't have bothered to reveal your suspicions to me unless you intended to act upon them. So tell me, what is it that you want of me?"

"I want you to be there when the time comes." Kaname replied almost bluntly. "Although you're not a pureblood, the Miyake bloodline is renowned for its purity. Only one small blemish a few centuries ago marred their name, that and the same blood runs through your veins, as does through mine." Kaname's voice had lowered, the aura around him darker, he turned back to Souta and met his eyes once again. "That, along with the blood of the Madly Blooming Princes, make you a very formidable noble indeed. So I ask of you, when the time comes, that you be there when I call for you."

Souta turned his head aside, glaring. He hated how nothing ever got by Kuran.

"Do you just make these guesses on your own?" Souta asked, meeting his eyes again.

"I've a very keen sense of smell, Souta, you're best to remember that." Kaname replied and turned around again. "Shouldn't you be getting ready?"

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Zero watched the crowds as they began to come together in the hall. The decorations had been put up by a small committee that had come together over the past week, it had consisted mostly of girls, maybe one or two guys who'd help put up the higher trimmings even with the aid of a ladder.

Zero paid heed to the growing number of students and all of the masked faces. Some were obvious, others were rather eccentric and different so that Zero couldn't tell at all, but most of the time he could tell the difference between the Day Class and Night Class students, no matter how much the Chairman had boasted that it would help the Night Class fit in more.

Yuuki hadn't arrived yet, but he'd seen Yori a few minutes earlier, walking in with a group of girls that he didn't recognise, he only knew Yori because he knew her costume. Zero sighed, he felt like sinking into the wall, he hadn't wanted to wear any kind of costume but as it had happened there had been no backing out for him at all. Both the Chairman and Yuuki had bought him a mask to wear, neither was entirely tasteful but one was more bearable than the other. One or the other, he'd been told, he could always discard it later, he thought.

He'd shunned the Chairman's mask at once, though Yuuki's was no better. He accepted Yuuki's because he didn't want to take the Chairman's one and inside he enjoyed seeing that guy squirm, there was always something so annoying about him that Zero couldn't tolerate.

Yuuki had told him she'd put it on. He had lent forwards and she'd put the mask on, it only covered the top half of his face and was all a solid pale grey colour with a small black nose and fine whiskers. Apparently a mouse suited him. The small grey ears were almost entirely hidden by his bangs yet the points appeared to look like horns as they peeked out either side of his forehead.

He'd not wanted it, but he'd no option. Mouse or the giant helmet of a Knight. It didn't even bare thinking about; at least the mouse mask was light and discrete.

Zero had spotted Kuran almost at once, watching him glide in wearing a white and deep blue double-breasted jacket, like a western prince. The small white mask covered his eyes but there was nothing about the outfit that did not scream Kuran Kaname. Prince Charming.

Zero was at least pleased to see that he wasn't the only one dressed up as an animal. Ichijou wore a mask with the tall white ears of a rabbit; Shiki was dressed neatly in auburn and silver, with a neat mask that showed he was a dog, at his side, Rima dressed as a small black and white cat.

Zero rested against the wall again as the Chairman approached him, decked out in a dazzling white kimono trimmed with gold and vibrant blue…to Zero it looked to be like a bridal kimono but he thought it best not to say anything at all. It was Yuuki that caught his eye as she finally arrived.

Her gown he realised reached the floor, flowing a smooth pale pink that it almost appeared white, the sleeves were long and curled gently around her wrists, her mask that of a pale pink and purple butterfly. He watched her with calm eyes, his lips curled slightly, watching her was okay.

Souta stood in the shadows of the entrance as Kain walked passed the only difference in his appearance being a plan black mask covering his eyes; otherwise he was wearing his uniform. Aidou risked a glance back at him as he too entered the room, Souta thought his mask appropriate, devil.

He didn't want to go in, but he caught Kaname's eyes only once and he felt them almost pull at his very soul. He sucked it in, he couldn't hide anymore, too many of the female population were beginning to swoon in on him like he was a piece of meat. So he entered the chamber, looking at masked faces that he recognised at once from the crowds during the exchange. He saw graceful Yuuki as she was approached by Kaname and somehow he felt sorry for her. She'd no idea what he was capable of.

Souta had realised by now, that wherever there was a Yuuki there was certainly a Zero near by. He looked to his left over the heads of the girls who were asking him to dance and he spotted a lean figure resting against the far wall. Souta couldn't hide the smile from his face; in fact he had to cover his mouth with his hand to stop him from laughing…but a mouse…?

Zero's eyes met Miyake's and he felt anger coil in his stomach. Was he laughing at him? He hadn't expected it but he watched with a scowl as Souta walked through the crowd, the cluster of girls parted and looked after him with bemused and disappointed eyes. Those eyes met Zero's with anger.

"Something funny, Miyake?" Zero finally asked, standing up straight as he faced Souta. He watched Souta carefully as he circled him, his hands still in his pockets.

"I thought I was the mouse, Kiriyuu-kun?" Souta chuckled. "Maybe we should swap masks? Unless you'd prefer it this way?"

Souta realised this was the first time he'd said a word to Zero in nearly three weeks. He sighed and came to stand ahead of Zero again, neither of them paying heed to the circle of girls that had suddenly formed around them. Their eyes met from beyond their masks, both unyielding, neither blinking.

The shrill sound of Yuuki's whistle did not stretch far over the music, but the girls disbanded around the two of them and Yuuki appeared in the gap between both Souta and Zero whose eyes hadn't left one another's yet.

Yuuki looked between the both of them.

"Glad to see you're both on speaking terms again," she smiled; she'd noticed the faint glow of enjoyment to Souta's spectacular topaz eyes. Zero scoffed and turned his head aside, he left the room. Yuuki pouted and folded her arms.

"Oops…" Souta sighed sheepishly. "Look what I did again." Yuuki looked up, the sadness was back in his eyes again, he rubbed the back of his neck and glanced down at Yuuki with a feeble smile. "Save a dance for me later, Cross-san? Oniisama shouldn't have you all to himself…" he wondered off, glancing back at her briefly over his shoulder, amused by her confused stare…entirely baffled.

_So cute…_he thought, heading away, catching Kaname's eye as a circle formed around him again…but none of these girls caught his eye. These princesses, these flowers, these birds of paradise. No…he wanted something else.

Yuuki had watched Souta walk away entirely unable to move, what on earth had he meant by that? What _could_ he mean by that? _Oniisama?_ Just a playful way of saying Kaname-sama? _Wait…why do I automatically think he was talking about Kaname-senpai?_ She sighed, dropping her shoulders before she decided she should occupy herself with something else. She searched for Zero, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen, she supposed there was no helping it…she'd only interrupted because she thought there might be a fight…she'd not realised it was Souta until it was too late and she'd already blown her whistle.

Had she just broken up some kind of male bonding session? She helplessly turned back towards the rest of the room and straightened out her gown that Yori had lent her, and then her butterfly wing mask, only to set her sights upon something that kind of made her heart warm.

Souta had offered his hand to Yori as she sat on the side with some of the unlucky boys. Yuuki had half a thought that Yori would turn him down, but to her surprise, she looked up at Souta's mask through the eyes of her own and took his hand, moving out onto the dance floor. Yuuki smiled. Tonight couldn't be all that bad.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Zero rested over the railing, he placed a hand to his mouth and brought the mask away, holding it in his hands. He could feel his heart beat thundering through his body like an electric shock…he leant over onto the stone banister, his eyes clutching shut.

_Why? Why now…? _

He composed himself and brought himself to stand up straight. How much longer could he allow this to go on? Why was he still going? _Protect Yuuki…how can I protect her when I'm like this? _Since the night he'd taken the blood from Kaname he'd hoped that he would be able to survive knowing that he wouldn't have to take blood from Yuuki anymore…at least…not as often. Yet weeks had passed, he'd not taken a drop of blood from Yuuki in that time…she'd asked, but he said the blood tablets were working, an obvious lie.

So why? Why now did he want the blood…so suddenly…he realised it had been weeks, but why the moment that Souta appears? Why the one time that their eyes meet that he wants it, that he wants that blood and that blood only…

It was gnawing at him from the inside out. Tearing at him, he felt the thunder of his heart again, he managed to remain still, he wouldn't allow it to get the better of him, not again…not in such a place where the Night Class and Day Class socialised. He couldn't allow it to take him, not there.

Looking down at the mask, he wondered…would she hate him if she realised what he'd been doing? If he'd told her all that had happened between he and Miyake, would she take it to heart? Would she feel anything? Zero placed the mask down onto the stone banister and took a step back, rubbing his face with his hands. He heard someone come outside, but did not look up to see who it was. He remained still, staring ahead, allowing the throbbing to continue in his chest.

Zero didn't expect to be spoken to.

"You know," began the voice. "It's none of my business, and I don't know what kind of relationship you've got going with Souta, but I just want you to know that although Souta acts like a brat, even at the best of times, its usually because he knows what really needs to happen." There was a sigh. "He'd make people hate him if that's what's needed…honestly…I don't know why I stayed angry at him for so long…guess I'm just as much of an idiot."

Kain did not take his eyes of the starry night sky ahead of him. He heard no reply from the creature off to his left and so continued.

"Hell you might even know more about him than me…but from what I know…Souta only ever means to do good…that's all he wants. But sometimes, that makes him do awful things." Kain sighed again, and rubbed the back of his head before putting his hand back in his pants pocket. "That smile he gave back there, he never used to smile like that…even when we were kids. He's frightened, you know. Frightened of being hurt and of hurting people. I don't know everything that's happened to him to make him this way…but underneath it all he's probably just like you. He wants to protect those that he cares for…but in return he isolates himself. He deserves better than that. Even from you." Kain coughed gently and turned around. "Well…that's all I wanted to say."

Zero scowled, he hadn't needed to hear that…nor had he wanted to.

He pressed his back against the building and rested against it, his eyes still looking out over at the night time, able to hear the gentle chirping of night time insects, able to feel slightly more at ease in the soft light of the stars. Zero heaved a deep breath, hoping to dull the pain in his chest, but no such thing came. Soon enough he peered through the curtains surrounding the doorway, he searched the crowd again, and his eyes found Miyake as he bowed to Yori, thanking her for the dance.

Zero sunk back before anyone could see him, he'd not been able to see Yuuki from where he was stood, but he'd seen Kuran and she'd been nowhere near him so that had given him some kind of comfort.

Zero shut his eyes…he thought for only a few seconds, but when he'd opened them again it was because he'd heard another voice speaking, it had caused him to rise up from the slump against the wall. He looked at the back of Souta as he rested against the stone banister, his own mask resting next to Zero's.

"Damn hopeless." Souta muttered. "Yes, I'm talking about you."

Scowling, Zero composed himself, realising for the first time maybe that Souta had his hair tied back neatly, only his bangs hung around his white face, and as he'd turned to glance over his shoulder there was no shadows around his topaz eyes, they caught the glittering light of the stars almost too perfectly. He smiled softly. Zero continued to frown.

"I don't think I've ever seen Zero smile." Souta looked ahead again, standing up straight, his hands still placed on the stone.

"Miyake -,"

"Souta." He interrupted. "My name is Souta. I'm not really used to people calling me by my family name; I've been trying to put up with it this whole time…so if you have to call me something…call me Souta…please." Souta didn't move from how he was stood, so much so that Zero wasn't certain if he'd even spoken or not. "I keep on trying to call Zero, Kiriyuu-kun…but it slips off the tongue…doesn't sound right."

Swallowing hard, Zero took a step back again, and shut his eyes.

"Are you hungry?"

Zero looked up with broad eyes, but Souta did not face him.

"I fancy a sandwich…what do you say, Zero? Treat me to a sandwich?" Souta smiled half-heartedly as he turned in Zero's direction, standing up straight as he took a few steps closer to him. "I'll be good." He put out his hand, offering it to Zero.

Zero lowered his eyes, but back again he looked Souta clear in the eyes and almost reluctantly he put out his hand and was lifted from the wall, and oddly enough found himself leading the way towards the Chairman's' kitchenette. He could use a sandwich too…

Souta made certain to walk a few steps behind Zero, just out of his vision…he already realised that Zero was feeling uncomfortable…honestly Souta didn't know why he was bothering him again. He thought he'd gotten over it, thought that he could leave it as it was, that he could live without that kind of interaction…those weeks he'd not spoken or bothered Zero at all he started to feel miserable again…he hadn't realised that he'd been enjoying himself so much.

But he stopped. He looked at Zero's back and swallowed. Zero only continued walking a few more steps before he realised that he was no longer being followed…the hell that he understood why he was even leading him to the kitchen anyway!

"Zero…I know that we're not friends…That's probably pretty out of the question, right…so…so why do you let me bother you like this? Why do you put up with me…?" Souta didn't know why he'd just said that, after saying it he realised how stupid it had sounded, he rolled his eyes and sighed, reaching back pulling out the tie from his hair allowing it to fall around his face again, shadowing it once more.

_If anything…I want to be Zero's friend…_Souta thought to himself, almost a whisper in his own mind…why did he act like this only around Zero?

"Do you want that sandwich or not?" Zero scolded before he turned away with his hand in his pocket and continued walking. Souta's eyes were wide as he watched Zero walk away…wondering why he'd ignored the question.

Opening the refrigerator, Zero searched around for the butter, eventually finding it and placed it on the side with all of the other meats, cheese, lettuce and the bread. Souta hovered over on the breakfast bar, resting his elbows on it as he leant over watching Zero rummage through the fridge.

"Got any jam?" he asked.

Zero glanced back with a raised eyebrow. "Jam?"

"Yeah, jam. You know, like blackberry jam, raspberry jam, strawberry jam. Please tell me you know what jam is…"

Zero turned back towards the fridge and pulled out a jar of strawberry jam. "I know what jam is," he retorted, there seemed to be a frown permanently etched on his brows. "Jam isn't very…"

"Isn't very what?" Souta asked, pouting. "Isn't very vampire-like? What? So I don't ask for the most meat filled sandwich you're capable of making and that makes it weird?" Souta folded his arms and dropped down onto the stool.

Zero rolled his eyes and turned back to the sandwich making, shutting the fridge door and putting down the jam jar. "Just jam?" he asked.

"If you don't mind."

Zero had no more argument. He made the sandwiches, he listened to Miyake talk about…things…and he eventually came up with a jam sandwich and nothing for himself, he decided that he couldn't stomach it.

Sitting across from Souta he watched nothing as he stared down at the table, Souta seemed to pick at the sandwich, Zero cringed every time he licked the jam from his lips, feeling his stomach clench every time he breathed, feeling his own breath hitch in his throat whenever he met Souta's eyes. Souta wasn't sure if Zero had noticed it, but his violet eyes were glowing crimson and had been doing so for quite some time. He tried not to draw upon it, but he felt really bad eating when Zero was the hungry one.

About to open his mouth, make a sarcastic remark that would lesson the tension - on his part anyway - Souta shut his mouth when he realised that Zero had spoken. What he'd said had caused Souta's heart to beat faster in his ears, his face became entirely serious. Zero repeated it, louder.

"_Why don't I hate you_?"

Zero's eyes were lowered, it was almost as though he didn't realise that he'd said it, as if he was just thinking out loud, his eyes focused on nothing. Souta swallowed, his eyes dropped too…he didn't know how he should accept what he'd heard.

"Does Zero want to hate me?" Souta hadn't meant for the hurt to show in his voice…but Zero had sounded so angry when he'd spoken. Zero blinked and looked up, meeting Souta's empty eyes as he got up from his seat and came to his full height that was only a few inches shy of Zero's.

Frowning, Zero too got onto his feet, he stared at Souta harshly. "At first I thought you were crazy, I wanted a reason to shoot you, I wanted a reason to show you for the vampire you are…I thought that I was insane for putting up with you…I thought that you were trying to destroy me! I thought you were a total annoyance!" Zero shook his head. "Then…then Yuuki…she…" he shook his head again and lowered his eyes. "She was wrong. We're nothing alike…I only put up with you because I feel sorry for you! But you know, I shouldn't! Why the hell should I care! But there! There's your reason…there's the reason why I put up with you…that's the reason." Zero's anger glowed within his crimson eyes, he stared harshly as Souta who's remained frozen and tight-lipped…his eyes seemed to be entirely void, simply staring.

Souta's throat had gone dry, his eyes empty. He'd never really felt a misery like that before…he'd felt many kinds of pain…but this one…this one was new. The anger in Zero's eyes…the sheer anger in those eyes had said enough…Souta lowered his eyes finally, his breathes had quickened, his heart beat was faster…

"I…I knew…" he began, trying to force out the words. "I knew that Zero didn't like me…I know that it was stupid of me for thinking that…that Zero could ever accept me…but I can't even yell at Zero…not even now." Nervously Souta rubbed the back of his head, bringing more of his hair around his face; he clenched his jaw and took another deep breath before he spoke again. "But I won't say sorry again…but thank-you, Zero, for at least pretending. It made me happy."

Yuuki clutched tightly onto Zero's mask, she felt a deep pain in her heart, she'd felt the grave sadness in Souta's voice, and the anger within Zero's. She could only imagine how Souta must have been feeling after that…no one deserved that.

When the door opened, Souta glanced at her as he walked passed, calm and composed, yet she'd read the pain in his eyes and longed to follow after him. She glanced back into the room, glaring at Zero's back as he continued to stand near the centre of the room. Yuuki threw the mask at his back and took a stand. "Zero is only angry at himself!" she yelled. "That wasn't fair, Zero…that wasn't fair."

"Miyake-senpai!" Yuuki cried once she was outside again, she couldn't see him from where she was, but she allowed her eyes to search a little more, she didn't want Zero's words to hurt Souta anymore than they had. Yuuki knew that the only reason that Zero was so angry was because he couldn't understand why he didn't hate Souta…that he hated himself because of it. It wasn't fair…that wasn't Souta's fault.

"Miyake-senpai…" she clutched a hand to her breast and turned to her right again, looking towards the academy, and there she suddenly spotted his black figure among the trees heading back towards the Moon Dorms. She ran to meet him, lifting up her dress that trapped her knees and called his name. He'd stopped a short while ago, after hearing her call him, and so it appeared as though he was waiting as she finally came close enough to talk to him without having to scream across the grounds.

"Miyake-senpai…about what Zero said -,"

"Its okay, Yuuki." He cut across. "Zero was right to say what he said…and I really was an idiot for thinking anything otherwise…"

Yuuki didn't want him to walk away, she ran around until she came to stand ahead of him, taking in the glow of his spectacular topaz eyes, they seemed dead there amongst the shadows of his face. "How can you think that its right that he said that to you? That wasn't fair." She told him, her face glowed with certainty, Souta admired her, she was adorable. He put on a small smile and shrugged slightly.

"It's okay. Yuuki must be a bit confused too…" Souta began, putting his hands into his pants pockets. "This won't make any sense either…but…when I came here, I thought that I could enjoy myself teasing Kiriyuu-kun…and so I did…but the problem was I didn't realise was that as I was getting to know Zero I…I started to enjoy the kindness that he showed me, although he probably didn't see it like that." Souta smiled again, but lowered his eyes, taking a deep breath he shook his head as if trying to get rid of all the negative thoughts that were causing his throat to tighten.

"Ah, I say silly things…" he said. He looked up to Yuuki and reached out, putting his hand upon her head. "Its okay, Yuuki, you can have Zero to yourself," he told her, beginning to walk away, he stepped around her and glanced back still with a smile on his face that almost refused to reach his eyes. "It's not me that he wants."

………………………………………………………………………………………

Unbuttoning his black shirt, Souta shrugged it from over his shoulders and allowed it to drop down his arms before he took it off and placed it aside. He caught his reflection in the mirror, his eyes moved over the scar upon his torso, running his fingers over it if only just realising that it was there.

Sighing he dropped his shoulders, and reaching for a hair tie he pulled back his hair and put it in, his bangs still heavy over his eyes. He decided that he was going to cut his hair when he got back home, he was staring to get fed up with the length…_yes…that's right…think about other things…its not like someone hasn't been angry with you before…its not like you're not used to this…_he dropped himself down onto the side of the bed, and rubbed his face in his hands, his throat was still so tight, his heart thudding so heavily that he could feel it pulsing in his head.

"Why do I set myself up to get shot down? Haven't I learnt that lesson already?" he let out an agitated growl and stood up again. "Why the hell am I angry NOW!? BASTARD!" Souta heard the mirror smash off behind him and took a deep breath, dropping his shoulders. "Great…more bad luck."

Helplessly he dropped himself back down onto the side of his bed and rested his head in his palms. He knew that he'd been an idiot…he knew that Zero couldn't be his friend…so why had he been so pained by Zero's words that it caused him to feel this way…? What Yuuki had said had probably been right…Zero was only angry with himself…but Souta feel a deep betrayal within himself…why couldn't he have taken his own advice? Why couldn't he have been resolute?

He'd wanted Zero so much all along…he'd thought that from the very beginning…but had he honestly thought that? Or was that what he should have been thinking…? Had he really meant it, or had he just been acting the part?

No matter now. He'd gone so far that the real him couldn't take it anymore. The real him…felt heart broken.

Souta turned his head and glanced at the door. He shut his eyes tightly and looked ahead again. "You can come in, Kiriyuu-kun." He voiced finally. "Just come and take…take what you want. It doesn't matter to me." Souta let out his breath and gently shut his eyes, his head lowered.

Souta bit back a gasp as he felt Zero's fangs bite down hungrily into his flesh, his head being forcefully tilted upwards, his body being pushed against until there was only Zero's clothing between the two of them. Souta clenched his eyes shut as his back hit the cold sheets of the bed, he gripped onto the sheets, he couldn't help but feel that Zero was being more forceful that he'd been the previous times…had he been so hungry? _No_…Souta knew…_is more like an addiction…_

Souta bit back another small cry as Zero drew out his fangs, licking away the blood, only to bite back down again, Souta steadily becoming dazed. He felt the flesh at his throat tare away; he felt the warmth of his blood against his chest and back as it stained the once crisp white sheets of the bed.

He suddenly felt very frightened.

About to call out, about to cry for Zero to stop, Souta felt himself being released, and pulled himself away coming onto his knees upon the bed. He clutched onto the wounds at his throat, heaving deep breathes, his heart pounding so heavily in his chest. Souta's creased brow was deep and cautious as he glanced back over his shoulder, his topaz eyes falling over the hunched figure of Zero sat at the side of the bed.

The heavy scent of his own blood in the air almost made him sick. Souta turned around and dropped himself back down onto his backside, allowing his eyes to follow the line of blood that stained his once white bed sheets. He dropped his shoulders and swallowed hard…his hands covered in his own blood. Zero remained motionless at the bedside, Souta became worried.

Standing, Souta took a step back before he came to stand dizzily ahead of Zero, his face lowered; his eyes were open by stared out at nothing. Souta wasn't naive enough to think that Zero was there to apologise…about to open his mouth again to speak, Souta realised that he could not find his voice…his chest tightened.

Souta scowled. "You'd like that wouldn't you?" Souta chided, but there was clear pain in his voice. "You'd like it if I fed from you; it would make you feel better, wouldn't it? Make you remember what I am…you'd like me to punish you, wouldn't you, Zero?" Anger flood into Souta's voice, but he did not raise it. He glared down at Zero with intensity in his topaz eyes; they glowed in the darkness of the room, with only a small lamp near the bedside to provide any kind of light for them. Zero didn't say anything. Souta felt the pain dive deeper.

Zero choked back a gasp as he felt a hand around his throat, he fell back onto the bed, able to feel the sticky warmth of the blood on the sheets against the side of his face…the scent of it was almost intoxicating. When he opened his eyes, Souta was resting over him, his face stern, cold, angry. Zero's eyes widened, feeling Souta's hand tighten around his throat.

"Can't move again, Zero?" Souta mocked, vengeance in his voice. "You know…you really upset me tonight." Souta dropped his arms to his sides, resting over Zero's waist as he remained pinned to the bed. Zero stared up frantically at the blood covered doll that rested over him…he couldn't move, he couldn't move his arms or legs, he couldn't speak. Souta took his face in his hands, and leant closer so that their faces were only inches apart. "You know what; I think I will punish Zero for his cruelty…just this once. I think I deserve as much, don't you? But I _won't_ do what Zero wants me to do…I won't taste Zero's blood…no matter how much I want it."

Souta felt cruel…he felt that he would regret it…but as he pressed his lips against Zero's throat, feeling him tremble beneath his touch…he couldn't help but think that maybe this was for the best - or - it could backfire hideously…Souta could only hope.

Tasting Zero's throat with his tongue, Souta tasted his own blood again against his lips but he ignored the sickly taste, he wanted to enjoy this as much as he could before he lost all concentration and Zero threw him off. His hands found Zero's shirt and tie, and yanked at the blood red tie and threw it aside, his lips kissing Zero's throat, gently making his way to Zero's strained adam's apple. Souta smiled, he could hear Zero's whining deep within his throat, feel the tightness in his chest…he couldn't help but think that of all the things for Zero to be frightened of…he laughed quietly to himself.

Souta felt the hunger burning in his chest. This was his own punishment too, for allowing himself to be a fool. For willingly admitting things to Zero that he'd never expressed to another living soul, Souta was distracted by Zero's gasp, he realised that he'd lost concentration already…but…Zero wasn't fighting against him.

Souta's kisses fell harder on Zero's flesh, his tongue running over his throat down to his chest. Zero bit back another gasp as Souta's fangs grazed his collar bone, shutting his eyes tight in fear of wondering hands.

Before Zero could realise it, Souta gripped onto his face again and stared deeply into his eyes, promising to himself that he would make certain that he didn't lose his concentration that time around.

………………………………………………………………………………….

Kaname found that he was almost amused by the disdainful look in the eyes of the Night Class students at the scent of blood in the air. Eyes moved to look in his direction and confusion had struck them…this scent was not the blood of Kuran Kaname…then who?

Kaname caught the eyes of Kain, who scowled and looked away out of the window towards the Moon Dorms, Kaname almost could believe that Kain had figured it out, Aidou's eyes showed somewhat the same bewilderment, yet the others seemed a little less capable of putting one and one together.

Kaname preferred this. And as the night began to thicken, the students were called away at the end of the dance, Kaname bid good night to a worried Yuuki before he went ahead of the rest of the students to the Moon Dorms. Removing his mask, Kaname unbuttoned his double breasted coat and placed his gloved hand upon the handle into Souta's room.

All was still within. Yet the scent of blood was still very strong, and as Kaname's calm eyes passed over the room, from the dull light of the lamp at the bedside he could clearly see the blackened gleam of blood upon the white bed sheets. He shut the door behind him as he entered the room…Kiriyuu had long gone it seemed, and Souta was entirely out cold, resting in the bed with his black hair sprawled out over the white of the pillows.

Removing his gloves, Kaname sat at the bedside and looked down upon Souta's white face, at the blood at his throat that he hadn't bothered to wash off. Kaname reasoned that this was probably going to be one of the best night's sleep that Souta had since he'd arrived.

Allowing his eyes to linger a little longer, Kaname reached out, placing his fingers gently upon the scar of Souta's revealed torso. He thought on it a moment, following the shape of the seal with his fingertips. Souta slept the sleep of the dead and felt nothing of Kaname's touch, even as those fingers pressed gently against the rise of his throat and then his lips.

Kaname spared himself a smile before he climbed again onto his feet. He turned back only once and shut off the light at the bedside before he left the chamber, bidding Souta a soft goodnight.

…………………………………………………………………………………

I will allow your little perverted minds to work on what happened between Souta and Zero…this chapter was already long enough…haha; I think you guys get the idea.

Only a few more chapters left! Like two…or three…? :looks at plan: ahh yes…three…

Until next time - review please!


	9. Chapter 9

So here I've finally brought you chapter nine. Sorry about the long wait...it just that I got kind of disheartened after last chapter, since I only received one review...so thanks to you, _**GoddessOfWrath**_.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, I think it's one of my favourites yet. Just two more to go after this. Review please and I will probably update by next week if you're nice to me...lol.

Something weird is going on with FF recently, has anyone else noticed? Uploading and stuff...is it just me? I've had to change a lot of this on preview because it changes the uploaded documents format...its really annoying...anyway - enjoy the chapter!

...

Chapter Nine

Yuuki looked around her in disdain.

Zero hadn't shown up for his duties _again_. He apparently was busy – though she still found herself somewhat annoyed with him after the way that he'd treated Souta in those days before. Honestly she felt like she could hit him...whenever Zero did show up though, she realised that he would hardly come anywhere near her. She wondered if he was feeling bad about it? But wouldn't that be too much to hope for...

She didn't manage to get to speak with Souta since the night of the dance, but something had obviously changed about him. The other day he'd actually been in trouble since the first day he'd arrived at the school, though so had Aidou. They'd gotten into some kind of fight, Miyake didn't say much but Aidou had taken his smirk offensively and that's when it really kicked off, though apparently they'd been bickering on and off the whole night.

Yuuki had to blow her whistle and whack them across the back of the heads to get their attention before Kaname was called to the scene and scold the both of them. Yuuki had been surprised that Zero hadn't done anything about it. She'd turned around once Kaname had excused her and had watched him from the corner of her eye as he slunk further away. She furrowed her brows, then glanced back at Miyake who's eyes seemed to linger on her a little longer than necessary. She decided that she needed to talk to the both of them.

Their relationship hadn't been obvious to her, she wasn't going to pretend that it was, but there had been something going on between them, she knew at least that much. To her knowledge Miyake-senpai had wanted a friend, and he'd thought that Zero would be that friend. Yuuki thought that she could understand that, since Zero knew that he was a vampire he could be more open about himself around Zero, but if Yuuki knew Zero – and she sure as hell did – then he'd be too busy being conflicted about his hate of vampires to realise when he needed to be a good person. Not all vampires were evil – this was clear enough to Yuuki – and although she knew that Zero had such epic morals about vampires everything about them was black and white to him...Miyake she realised had probably become that bit of grey.

Thanking Kaname-senpai she'd hoped to go after Zero first, maybe tackle him to the ground and ask for a reason why he'd been avoiding _everything_ these past few days, he hadn't even been coming to classes hardly leaving his room unless he was hungry, and even then he'd ignored everyone and everything. He looked like he was depressed...that was the only way that Yuuki could describe it, and she wished that Zero would talk to her about it. He wouldn't do it willingly, she was well aware of that, so she had to figure out some way to get him...and that night, she was about to put her plan into motion.

Crouched in a tree, Yuuki watched carefully for any signs of Zero that night, the Night Class had already been exchanged and were taking class, so she took this opportunity to get Zero to open up about what had happened. She didn't have to wait long though, he didn't know it, but he had some kind of route in his head that he seemed to follow every night, and she saw him coming, and remained silent, _just a little bit closer_...

"Gotcha!" She cried and launched herself out of the tree; Zero – dazed and slow – turned to meet with her feet as they landed against his chest and forced him down onto his back with a thick thud. He groaned uncomfortably as he kept his eyes screwed shut, feeling the weight of Yuuki on his chest.

"What are you _doing_?!" He hissed and cried to shove her off, but Yuuki remained resolute and flashed her bracelet ahead of his face.

"Don't make me do it, Zero," she warned, her brown eyes entirely serious. He scoffed and rolled his head to the side, not matching her eyes. "Good, now that you're cooperating," she began and folded her arms. "Someone's been keeping me out of the loop for a very long, long, long time now, and I'm sick of it. If there's something bothering Zero then I want to be able to help."

Zero's head remained turned to the side, his eyes were dim, Yuuki dropped her shoulders, her confidence was gone suddenly, drained away from her as she saw the shadowed look in Zero's eyes. She had seen that look before; it was the same look that she'd seen in the bathroom that time, Valentine's Day, when she'd given him the only good chocolate she'd managed to make.

"Zero, you can tell me anything, you know that." She said out loud, she didn't want to be in the dark anymore. If there was something bothering him then she wanted to know what it was. She lowered her eyes, averted them and spoke again. "Is...is this about Miyake-senpai?" She asked it as a question, but she already knew that this was the reason, even if he wouldn't admit it. He eyes flicked up slightly when something caught her eye. She raised an eyebrow, somewhat confused and thought for a moment before she allowed it to pass her lips.

"Zero...is...is that a..._love bite?_"

"What!?" Zero shoved Yuuki off from him until she landed on the floor with a thump and turned away – almost running away – as Yuuki remained on the ground, her eyes somewhat a-gape as well as her mouth.

"Does...Zero have a girlfriend?" She wondered, she didn't like that idea very much...but that couldn't have been what she thought it was right? But it must have been...right on his neck...she's almost missed it because of the tattoo but she was almost certain that was what it was. She felt her cheeks burning..."Alright there is officially something going on!" she cried, determined that she would find out the answers, and soon. Now she just had to keep her eye out. _Maybe this wasn't about Miyake-senpai after all? Unless...NO...no...stay away from that idea...but...could it...?_

...

Zero looked at himself in the mirror, peeling back the collar of his shirt, he'd not even seen it before, hadn't even noticed that it was there, his tattoo was pretty much covering it. Clenching his fist he pounded the basin and ran the water, splashing his face. How on earth was he expected to explain that? How on earth was he expected to explain anything?!

The water did little to calm him down. His heart was beating like a drum in his head...he'd tried so hard to forget what had happened, try and figure things out, but he was just so confused just then that he couldn't think anymore. He found his bed and dropped down onto the cold sheets, he didn't have any answers for Yuuki, he didn't even have any answers for himself. What was he supposed to think anymore...when...when something like _that_ happens what was he supposed to think.

He'd been forcibly placed in that situation...hadn't he? Yes...he had...he'd been entirely unable to move...but the question that had bothered him the most over these past few days was..._had he really wanted to move_?

Zero thought over what he'd said to Souta...what had happened...and of course he felt such a deep hatred within him, but he also felt something else. Why did he hate him so much...? Why was he so angry? Why was he so confused? Couldn't things just be easy for a change? No...no he knew that would be too fair, life wasn't fair to him, certainly not recently.

Oddly enough, Yuuki's words had left an imprint on his mind..._Zero is just angry at himself_...Zero knew that was right. He really hated himself, so badly that it was almost painful! It would not leave him alone. He couldn't rest because he just kept on going over and over what had happened, he just couldn't figure it out...it wasn't right to be thinking this way. Not right at all.

Zero scowled, his hand lifted to his throat as he felt the mark on his throat left by Souta from those days ago...he sunk a little further into denial...he couldn't do this anymore...it was beginning to make him want to shoot himself. Rolling onto his side, Zero gently shut his 

eyes, he'd abandoned his duties again because of this, he'd left Yuuki out there on her own...was he usually this selfish? He didn't know how to answer that question, much like the many ones that had gone before. He wasn't certain how he was supposed to know these things because honestly, to him, nothing was right anymore.

Zero knew that the last thing that he wanted at least was for Yuuki to get involved in all of this...he'd never wanted to bother her with it, but he'd realised from the start that he'd been acting oddly, even if he didn't let onto that fact. He'd hoped that Yuuki wouldn't get involved, and she hadn't – not really – he couldn't believe that she'd heard what he'd said to Souta the night of the dance...he was still somewhat in denial that it had even happened although her words had really gotten to him.

What was he supposed to do? Should he carry on pretending that nothing had happened? Of course he could do that, usually he would have done that, just go back to his hatred, and sure enough he hated that vampire more than anything, but this wasn't the problem...he'd not even admitted it once to himself yet, not wholly, he'd been trying to think up excuses for his behaviour but, that was all they were..._excuses_.

What Souta had done Zero did not think he could forgive him for...though...nor could Zero forgive himself for not only getting into that situation...but also...for _not_ wanting to get out of it. Did he just admit that to himself? Had he just honestly thought that? Shoving his face into the pillow as he rolled onto his stomach, Zero bared his fangs into it, and placed his hands at the back of his head. What he hated more than anything, was that he couldn't forget any of it.

He couldn't forget the tension or the coiling in his stomach. He couldn't forget the heat and the taste of blood upon his tongue that had never been sweeter. He couldn't forget the weight of a body pressed against his, and most of all, he couldn't forget kissing back. Did he have any sanity left? He entirely doubted it.

Was there nothing more he could do about this? Could he go on to ignore it until it went away? Zero heaved a deep sigh. He knew it wasn't going to go away. He knew that it wasn't going to leave him alone unless he did something about it, but he had no idea what to do about this...if it had been anyone else he might have told them to go fuck themselves...but for some reason the fact that this was not only a vampire but a guy...Zero felt that wasn't going to do the trick. He'd pretty much already tried the straight forwards attempt, but due to his own weakness he'd brought himself back nearly every time...it was like he _needed_ Souta...like he..._wanted_ him. That couldn't possibly be it, though, could it?

To Zero it was a pretty well known fact that he could only have any kind of feelings for Yuuki, and hatred for pretty much anything and everything else...but this emotion that he felt towards Souta, and there certainly was one, was different to how he felt about Yuuki...still the hatred was there...but again, going back to Yuuki's words..._only angry at himself_...Zero began to wonder if it was really hatred that he felt towards Miyake Souta.

He wished that he didn't care. He begged himself just to forget what had happened and yet he couldn't help but replay the whole thing over and over again in his head. The biting the kissing the licking...all of it, nothing like that had ever happened to him before...if this was how he reacted to new experiences then life be damned! He needed to do something to take his mind off it, but that was what he'd been aiming at the whole damn week and nothing had come out of it aside from his brooding that was doing more harm than good.

Now that Yuuki was curious – and she'd seen the 'love bite' on his neck – he knew that she wouldn't allow the situation to drop. Zero shook his head to try and clear away the thoughts as he sat up on the bed and shifted his legs over the side. He had nothing more to do now other than to attempt to get along with things...at least he felt safe enough to think that Souta had been half avoiding him too...he'd not really seen him even at the exchange, he seemed to mingle in among the others now. Although...as Zero had heard, apparently Souta had been getting into small fights with some of the Night Class students. Why did Zero feel partly to blame for this?

...

Souta glanced around the room, he noticed that Kaname was yet to arrive. He didn't know why that bothered him so much, but it simply did...he'd grown used to those eyes staring at him inconspicuously from a distance. All others tended to ignore him now. He'd begun causing trouble as he'd originally intended to do, riling up Aidou had been pretty easy though, he still seemed to be sore about what Kain had told him, because no doubt Kain had told him all about what had happened between the two of them and the girl..._Mai...that was her name, wasn't it?_

He'd tried his best to piss everyone off. He'd lost sight of his goals, he'd weakened and gotten too close to entirely shedding off his mask, but he couldn't allow that to go any further. He needed Kaname to get rid of him. He needed Kaname to tell him that he wasn't allowed to come back to the Academy. If he didn't and Souta just left, there was no doubt in his mind that his mother would just send him right back again. He needed Kaname to tell him that he wasn't accepted there anymore, the he was _expelled_ or whatever that word was, and could not return.

Souta had tried without realising it, to get along with all of the vampires there, tried to get along with the humans, taking a particular liking to a female human named Yori who he'd danced with at the ball...that along with his infatuation with Kiriyuu Zero he knew needed to end. It wasn't good for him to be so open as that.

Kain had even approached him the other day...he was starting to be fooled again by Souta's act. _"Maybe I was wrong about you, Souta."_ He'd said. Souta lowered his head into the fold of his arms on the desk ahead of him and sighed deeply as the conversations carried on over him...what devious thing could he do today to make Kaname scowl at him...? Souta wasn't sure though...would Kaname just kick him out if he did something bad enough or would he kill him? Souta chuckled bitterly to himself, no one else noticed. He realised that 

he probably would end up getting himself killed...he sighed deeply. Death didn't sound like such a horrid prospect recently.

The memories of the few nights past were still vivid in his mind. He found himself often thinking about what had gone on between he and Zero, hearing the moans again and the small gasps as he lost control for that second time. He'd felt Zero's hands against his arms, questioning to shove him away...Souta smiled. They never had pushed him away, though nor had they welcomed him. That had probably been too much to ask though, for Zero to want him back...he could accept that. He'd wanted him too though...but Zero's words too, they were still fresh wounds.

He would get over it. He hated that it affected him so much though...he'd been in situations like that before, he'd hoped that he would learn, that he would accept it and get along with life...but that time it had been almost entirely different, at the same time so very similar. He just supposed that he'd never had the kind of relationship with anyone before.

"Myiake-kun, are you paying attention?" the voice of the sensei sounded from Souta's left. Souta sighed and lifted his head up from the table, and his topaz eyes gleamed as he met the serious face of the teacher. Souta's face was blank, empty of all emotion, although the look in the eyes of the sensei become one of regret.

"No. I'm not paying _any_ attention." Souta said smoothly and the corner of his lips curled into a smirk. The teacher coughed and tried to compose himself, trying to reign supreme over his students. His eyes gleamed.

"Know your place, you ungrateful heathen." Sensei hissed, he'd had more than his fair share or aggravating and pompous students.

Souta's eyes flared. "I don't appreciate being spoken to like that." His gaze deepened, having not removed it from his unyielding sensei who also hadn't stopped looking him in the eyes, trying to stare him down. About to give into his petty nature, the sensei opened his mouth to speak only to have another voice speak up from further along the row.

"Give it a rest, Souta." Came Kain's voice as he settled back in his chair. "Stop causing a scene." The rest of the class was suddenly buzzing at Kain's interruption. Eyes moved around inconspicuously, dancing between the three of them. The teacher seemed smug, Souta was still smirking.

"A scene..." Souta muttered softly under his breath. He smirked, the sensei went back to the head of the class and about to begin his lecture again, screams ran through the classroom as to the far left the tall windows smashed loudly, almost like an explosion. Souta smirked. "Scene indeed."

The class began to rile up in worry and confusion over what had just happened, Kain trying to calm down other students that had been shocked by the show, and shards of glass flung through the air, it was a miracle that no one had been injured. Ichijou lifted his eyes with worry...he watched as Souta got up from behind his desk and casually left the classroom...he sighed, his shoulders dropped. He'd only ever seen Kaname-sama doing something like that...breaking glass or anything with such sheer force and little effort. Considering that Souta was sat at the total opposite end of the large room.

"Is everyone alright?!" Yuuki barked into the room, having been watching the Night Class before and during the explosion of glass. He'd fallen off her perch on the wall looking down at them, shocked half to death by the sudden shattering. Thankfully it looked as though no one was hurt...but she wondered what had happened. She decided that she should probably go to the classroom and check things out.

Souta sighed; dropping himself against a wall he heard the distant commotion from the classroom. He wondered if they'd suspected that it was him who had done it? Somehow he doubted it. The night above him was still early. He brushed his hair from his face and felt the cool breeze on his face and heaved a deep breath to help settle himself. He looked forwards to getting scolded for that...because since Kaname knew _everything_ he'd probably already realised what had happened.

"You never cease to dull my amusement, Souta."

_Hm...speak of the devil._ Souta sighed and looked up to his left and watched as Kaname approached him from the gloom and stood a few feet away from him, a deep smirk in his eyes. Souta shrugged and climbed onto his feet, wrestling with his red tie and put his hands in his pockets.

"Only for you, onii-sama." He bowed mockingly before he stood up straight again, waiting for the lecture. Kaname only continued to stare at him almost idly, that smirk still on his face. Souta raised an uncaring eyebrow about to walk away when Kaname did finally speak up.

"I have something for you to do."

Souta laughed shortly. "For me to do?" he questioned and turned fully back to face the pureblood pain-in-the-ass. "Oh do continue..." the sarcasm that laced his words did not go unmissed. Kaname mused for a moment before he folded his arms and lifted his chin slightly as to look down at Souta almost smugly.

"Since you insist on making a nuisance of yourself, I'd rather make good use of your talents, as you're clearly eager to show them off. I want you to go and dispose of our little problems before the human's show up to do so."

"Another level E?" Souta scoffed. "Purebloods sure are ungrateful bastards." He sighed; his fear around Kaname was entirely non-existent by then. Kaname only found his courageous words entertaining.

"There are two. I want you to get rid of them both." Kaname said, ignoring the insult. "I'm sending you out alone."

"Why thank-you." Souta smirked darkly and again mock-bowed to Kaname and headed off, glancing back at him with a raised eyebrow. "I'll take care of them with my bare hands. Just like last time."

Yuuki hid further around the corner as she watched the back of Souta as he headed out of the building, muttering curses under his breath. His attitude had changed a lot since she'd last seen him...but not only that, he'd called Kaname-senpai _onii-sama_ again, just like he'd done at the ball. She forgot that for then, the more important thing was that there were level-E vampires nearby. She resolved herself, and wondered if Zero was already aware of the situation. There was only one way to find out. The Night Class would have to wait, besides, Kaname-senpai would offer them more help than she could.

...

Souta pressed forwards. He looked around him, trying to figure out what it was exactly that he was looking for, he figured that this might also be Kaname's form of punishment. _How droll_. He didn't know where to start really, at least he'd had a lead last time, he'd smelt the creatures blood, otherwise he may not have done anything at all. He sighed and looked down over the town from the rooftop. At least Kaname could have given him a bit more of a clue.

The town seemed still that night, eerily so, yet suddenly Souta's ears picked up on the sound of echoed footfalls, not of the vampire he was hunting, but rather of the cute human girl he'd come to adore. His eyes saw the figure of Yuuki a few streets away over the heads of some houses. _What on earth is she doing?_ He sighed. He realised that he'd have to do something about this...she seemed to be running around blindly without really paying heed to what she was doing.

Souta sighed as he watched her nearly run into a man that was walking his dog before he decided that he should probably promptly take action.

Yuuki paused for a moment and looked around, she'd seen Zero run off ahead of her, she was sure of it, but she didn't know where he'd gone, she'd lost him almost too quickly as if he'd just vanished. She felt the chill in the air around her, she hated being alone like this.

Looking around she realised that she didn't really know where she was. Everything always looked so different in the dark; she wasn't so sure if she knew what she was doing...she should probably just head back. Yet as she'd pulled on her reserve and headed back for the Academy she heard shifting around her, and a small laugh came to life just behind her. Yuuki paused, frozen to the spot, as the laughing got somewhat louder and she heard a male voice cooing to her, calling her on.

Yuuki clenched her eyes shut and with her staff she swung it around hoping for it to collide with something, and it most certainly did, and was stuck in a vice grip. When Yuuki opened her eyes to inspect the horror, she found her eyes matching the deep topaz ones of Miyake-senpai, he held the staff in his hand as it was just almost at his face, he stared at her idly with a sigh, the level-E vampire she realised was kneeling at his side, gripping onto a blood red chain as it coiled itself around its throat. Souta tugged onto the chain and the level-E choked a bit more. Yuuki stared at it horrified.

"What are you doing here, Yuuki-san?" he asked, almost clinically. She didn't like the look in his eyes and she didn't like what he was doing. She tugged back her staff and Souta let go, but his hand did not release the firm hold on the level-E vampire that continued to kneel at his side.

"I...I wanted to help." She said, but she was far too distracted. "How can you hold him like that! That's horrible!" she cried out, matching Souta's eyes with the pain in her own.

"I thought you'd be distressed if I killed him ahead of you." Souta answered honestly. Yuuki's eyes looked confused. A crack and a bang resounded through the air, causing Yuuki to flinch, yet Souta remained entirely stoic as he felt the solid blood chain in his grip drop, loosened as the figure that he'd held within it fell away in death.

Yuuki stared at it for a moment before she turned around too look up at Zero as he approached, his eyes were not focused on her though, they were staring at Souta as Souta's were staring at his.

"Where's the second one?" Zero asked, staring at Souta as if he was the one he'd aimed at and missed. Souta saw the heat in Zero's eyes as they stared intensity at one another without blinking. Was Zero trying to challenge him?

"I wouldn't know." Souta replied casually, his lips curled into a smirk allowing his eyes to wonder a little lower at Zero's assaulted throat, though it may not be entirely visible to the naked eye, in the shadows the dark spots seemed somewhat clearer to Souta's eyes.

The wind blew up from behind Souta, causing the chain's at his side to rattle eerily. Silence echoed around them and Yuuki almost couldn't stand it...Souta's attitude had almost completely changed from the last time they'd spoken...she felt so lost between their intense gazes, she had no idea what she should do...they looked like they were about to kill each other.

"Look, whatever the deal is between you two you can settle it later!" She cried, shoving the both of them in the chest as she outstretched her arms between them. They looked down at her. "Now let's try and find the second one as fast as we can."

"I think there's another two." Souta voiced finally, causing the others to look up. "Another man and a woman." Just as Souta spoke, his conclusion was confirmed as a scream sounded from somewhere above them and a body launched itself upon him. Souta flung out his chain and captured the thing's body before lashing it heavily into a near-by building. Yuuki jumped back slightly at the force used, even Zero found himself caught off guard.

Souta readied himself as the woman launched at him again, the chain was limp at his side, he cracked it up again though the second level-E appeared and took hold of his arm as the woman slashed out to claw at him. Yuuki lifted her staff about to act when a round of bullets echoed around her, and Souta flung the distracted vampire's into one another, the male into the female.

A thick crack travelled through the air, the scent of blood assaulted the noses of both Souta and Zero while Yuuki remained stood between the two predators as they remained in attack mode. Souta flung out the solid bloody chain again as he watched one of them pounce and lurch away growling, the female ran passed Zero barely missing a bullet and vanished down the street. Zero at once was in hot pursuit, leaving Souta to battle the male.

"Stand back, Yuuki." Souta said calmly, putting out his left arm to his side as he steadily backed away, Yuuki did as she was told, clutching the staff to her chest, glancing off in the direction that Zero had gone in, she couldn't see him anymore.

Souta knew that this vampire was going to make a run for it, and sure enough within a couple of seconds it was back on its feet, his arms swinging loosely ahead of it, and red eyes burned into his topaz ones. With a leap and a bound it was away, Souta swung out the chain but it bit into the wall just behind the level-E rather than actually hitting it. It taunted him, and he ran after it. "Yuuki – go back to the Academy!" he called back; he knew he shouldn't have left her, but just then he'd no other option.

Souta followed the level-E deeper into the town, shop windows reflected him as a white and black blur as he launched passed, the crazed laughing of the level-E was the sound that he was following and he was so close now that he could see it again, vanishing into a building.

At his side the chain was looped up his arm. His eyes narrowed, he heard the echo of bullets somewhere off in the distance and stepped forwards into the crumbling building that seemed to be a favoured haunt of such pitiful creatures.

He saw all through the blackness, he could still hear the laughing. He stepped forwards, even further into the bleak gloom and tightened his hand on the chain, and at once as he felt it moving closer the chain flashed out and latched onto and outstretched arm. Though much to Souta's chagrin, instead of pulling back as they usually did, the level-E used the chain to launch itself through the air, claws outstretched and willing to attempt to tear Souta to pieces.

Souta lifted his other arm ahead of his face, readying himself for the impact when the creature suddenly stopped his attack and instead decided to launch himself aside, Souta crashed against an already crumbling wall, his head knocking against the scaffolding that seemed to be the only thing holding the building up.

Souta's strained eyes saw the figure of Yuuki running towards him, the level-E nowhere in his sights, he was quickly onto his feet, running for her, his eyes showed his true emotions for once, fear flashed in his eyes, able to hear the thick beating of Yuuki's human heart as it pounded in her chest. He couldn't bare it.

"Miyake-senpai!" She cried out, the blood oozed from a gash on his forehead where he'd struck the metal. She was surprised to see him getting back up so quickly, he reached for her, she felt her stomach churning, a shadow looming up behind her. Though before Yuuki could make a motion, Souta had gripped onto her wrist with an intense pull and dragged her out of the way of the level-E's fangs.

Yuuki was flung to the side, she heard a loud crunch and a crash and looked up, dust covering her as her eyes broadened, seeing only the back of the hulking level-E as he stood against the wall.

Souta did not cry out as the fangs tore deep into his throat, tearing at the skin and almost ripping it out...the blood oozing from it like water from a faucet was not what frightened him...but the feeling of the weight from around his throat dropped, and the Judas Cross was torn from him, and dropped with a dull clang to the ground.

Souta's breathing became erratic, his eyes were shut tight and he heard nothing but the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears...the heavy scent of blood was in the air.

Yuuki ran at the level-E, her staff high in the air, ready to strike when she found herself falling back as the level-E was slammed into the ground ahead of her, its cry was loud and painful, reverberating off the hollow walls. Her eyes were filled with horror, watching as Souta withdrew his hand from the holes on the throat of the level-E, his clawed hand dripping in blood. She could have sworn though that most of the blood that covered him was his own.

Yuuki didn't know what to say. Entirely speechless she managed to fumble up slowly onto her feet...Souta's stance didn't change even as the level-E began to struggle again...it was still alive. She noticed he was breathing deeply...his back rising and falling quickly, his head lowered and body almost entirely shadowed if not for the gleaming crimson that covered his hand and his chest...his throat in pieces.

Bringing a hand to her mouth, Yuuki stumbled back again as she heard a small barely audible laugh pass Souta's lips, one gleaming crimson eye glanced up broadly and met her, as the bloody hand plunged into the chest of the level-E. Yuuki almost screamed, the heart was ripped from its very chest...and Souta clenched it in his hand as its previous owner became nothing at his feet.

Souta could smell only the blood...the ache and pains of it flooded his system, the sound of it assaulted his ears...he felt his body throbbing, felt his senses going wild at the beating of the heart so close to him that he could already taste it. He blinked, his body trembling as he fell away, stumbled back against the wall, wrapping his arms around himself as he tried to make it go away. The fear pooled in his eyes...why did she have to follow him?! Why had she done it?

Frantically his eyes searched for the Judas Cross, looking around at the debris and attempting to locate it...but he couldn't see it anywhere. Blood covered his eyes, all he could see was the pulsing of the room around him and that unbelievable hunger...

"Miyake...senpai...?" Yuuki stepped forwards, she had no idea what was going on. She felt her heart lurch in her chest when Souta noticed her again, his bloody eyes met hers and she felt as if she was looking at the crazed eyes of a level-E. He shook his head and lowered it again, stumbling away. "Senpai..."

Souta fell to his knees, gripping onto his head, feeling his whole body simply throbbing heavily. He crashed down into the scaffolding, and Yuuki cried out, running for him as the scaffolding began to fall, the building along with it.

...

Hey, what's with the cliff-hanger?? And damn it Yuuki! Stop getting in the way! Actually I like Yuuki, so don't mind her.

If I carried on, it would have ended up being too long! Aren't you guys curious to see what kind of carnage and mayhem Souta would do without that damn necklace? He's evil again too...did you notice?

Well tell me what you think in your wonderful reviews! The more the merrier!


	10. Chapter 10

Well my friends, we are nearing the end for Souta and Zero. Just one more chapter left after this one. I really enjoyed writing this one, though some parts didn't come out very smoothly and I had to re-think bits of it, all in all it turned out okay, and pretty long too – I expected that.

Sorry about the lack of 'romantic' Souta/Zero (it was never romantic though...lol a little more angst in this one), and as it stands it really wouldn't make any damn sense in this chapter, and I'm trying to keep them in character as much as possible – believe it or not – but you might get lucky in the last chapter.

Anyway, thanks for your reviews, they mean a lot!

...

Chapter Ten

Zero's head lifted high to the air at the sound of the heavy crash. His heart thundered heavily in his chest, and the scent that drew him like a drug starved addict pulled him away from the direction of the Academy. The blood of Miyake Souta was thick in the air, and Zero knew that he was so far away.

Without a moment's hesitation, Zero took off with a leap and a bound, and found himself running like something possessed, his heart thundering in his chest not only at the scent of blood but at the prospect that something had happened to have injured Souta...he clenched his teeth in admittance that he was worried...but this was not only about him...Yuuki's blood scent also filled his nostrils.

He was certain though, as he ran, that he was going the right way. And in all honesty it didn't take him very long to locate the building, certainly not as the town began to stir alive around him, drawn and awakened by the sound of the collapsing building. Zero allowed the tension to show on his face, allowed the fear to creep into his mind. He stood looking up at the half collapsed building, thankful somewhere deep inside that although he could smell Yuuki's blood, that there wasn't a lot of it. It was a shame that he couldn't say the same thing about Souta.

About to dive into the building to try and find them amongst the rubble, a man who had come out to check on what had happened suddenly yanked back at his shoulder and stopped him from moving any closer. "You can't go in there, boy! It will collapse on you in an instant!"

Zero ripped his shoulder away from the man's hold, and again headed to tear apart the building to the best of his abilities, but he jumped back at the crumbled building shifted again. The gathered people thought that it was about to crumble again, they began to cry 

out and call for people to move back, yet Zero remained as he was, watching with careful eyes as a white and red blur suddenly appeared through the top of the building. Rubble crashed around the people as they crowded around, they screamed and scattered, they'd not seen what Zero had seen.

With his eyes blazing furiously Zero ran into the direction of the white blur, the scent of blood he trailed, his heart pounding like a heavy drum in his chest. He didn't know what he should expect, even if it was Souta that he'd seen, where was Yuuki? She couldn't still be in the building – he wouldn't have left her there..._he wouldn't do that..._

Zero stopped suddenly as he turned a corner. His violet eyes were broad as the scent of blood hit him like a torrential wave, plundering him and making him entirely immobile. Zero watched as a figure coated in white and crimson steadily rose to stand, clawed hands dripping in blood, a figure resting against the wall. The crimson clawed creature twitched suddenly, Zero's eyes focused on the iron rod that seemed to be embedded through his abdomen as it was slowly drawn out and flung aside with an echoing clang.

Zero visibly flinched, he watched the bloody figure stagger slightly and move backwards before collapsing into the wall at the opposite side of the alleyway. Blood was dripping everywhere. Zero fought himself but ran towards the figures, looking down firstly to Yuuki, she looked to be okay, a little cut up but otherwise just out cold...he remained knelt on his knees for a little longer, his eyes burning like flames as he heard the heavy breathing from behind him.

Zero swallowed hard. He paused, looking over Yuuki's unknowing face and steadily got onto his feet, able to feel the blood at his fingertips as they'd touched the ground. He shut his eyes, the scent of blood was so thick it weighed down upon him so much that he almost couldn't bring himself up to stand. Zero rose uneasily, and momentarily he turned around, and looked at Souta, who stared up at him with an equally as intense crimson gaze.

It had been such a long time since Zero had seen so much blood. He wasn't surprised that Souta couldn't move...but what he was surprised about was how he'd whipped out his handgun without even realising it. It pointed directly at Souta.

"Do it," Came Souta's blood filled voice; it was not the voice that Zero recognised. Souta laughed, darkly and thickly, blood ran down from his mouth in torrents, it ran down the front of his white jacket from the impossible wound on his throat that should probably enable him from speaking at all. For the first time in a long time Zero felt his hand trembling, those crimson eyes stared up at him unblinkingly, suffering.

Zero lowered his weapon and remembered the story that Souta had told him what felt like years ago...about what had happened to him to make him this way. The Judas Cross was gone, he realised, and those blood filled eyes were those of a crazed vampire, forcibly made this way. Zero knew what it felt like to succumb to the depths of a level-E. Zero found himself simply staring.

Souta's head dropped to his chest, his breathing deepened to the point that it began to sound like deep growling. Zero felt himself flinching slightly as the almost subtle movement of Souta standing. He'd never have expected that. The amount of blood that Souta had lost and was still loosing..._how is he even conscious?_ Zero wasn't sure what to do at this point.

Souta seemed to be sluggishly attempting to walk away, Zero watched him with wide open eyes, felt his heart pounding in his chest. He glanced back quickly at Yuuki and stared at her motionless form for a little longer, his brows furrowed. His eyes fell over Souta's back as he used the wall to help him along, stumbling every now and again only just able to catch himself. Zero clenched his jaw and swallowed his pride and sanity, and followed after Souta at a steady pace.

The world around him was alive with pulses, Souta could feel every single one of them plundering him like needles to his flesh, blood continued to dribble from his wounds, and steadily his sanity ebbed away...any minute now...and minute now and he wouldn't be able to control it any longer.

Zero followed behind him at a reasonable distance, but this would not keep him safe. Souta's brows furrowed, his eyes gleamed with crimson tears as the pain shone through, but otherwise, his face was warped to represent the hunger that he felt in his heart, his mouth was turned into a twisted grin, and the madness finally began to cloud him. His body felt numb, not even the pain of his wounds ailed him, and all he could feel was the pounding of living hearts around him filled with what he so desired.

Zero noticed almost at once the change in Souta's stance. The way that he suddenly became stronger almost as he straightened himself out, his hand unclenched and his head lifted somewhat but the breathing, that heavy breathing did not cease to remain as such. Zero's grip tightened around his handgun as it hovered readily at his side.

The cruel and quiet laugh that passed Souta's lips was not a sound that Zero liked at all, it was crazed, that was obvious enough to Zero's ears...for some reason though Zero's mind was still conflicted. He couldn't raise his weapon. He couldn't shoot him.

Zero blinked quickly, looking back at his target after losing focus for only a moment, he jumped back as an involuntary reaction, Souta's crimson eyes were staring right at him, his crazed grin wide across his blood stained face as it remained somewhat inches away from Zero's. The handgun clattered to the ground, Zero felt the tight grip around his wrist and had lost all control over his fingers, his eyes broad as they stared into the bright orbs ahead of him.

His back was against the wall before he could adjust to what had just happened, Souta's other hand was against his face, those eyes fuelled by hunger and blinded by it as they watched Zero so carefully that he didn't miss a single motion.

About to pull himself away, trying not to look in those eyes anymore, Souta pressed his body against Zero's his lips began to move yet nothing passed them. Souta blinked slowly lowering his head as if trying to control himself, but suddenly seemed to fail. Zero's body crashed against the nearest wall, Souta's head still lowered his breathing haggard and deep. Trying so hard to control himself Souta sunk down onto his knees, pressing his face into Zero's chest, his knuckles whitening from the force he put in gripping onto Zero's clothes. Zero slid down the wall, Souta was on his knees between his legs, his whole body was trembling...Zero had no idea what to do.

Souta's hands dropped suddenly to his lap, his trembling continued and he felt no release from his burden, only the continuous throbbing pain and the longing that he'd felt for such a long time to be filled. Zero fought against the urge to move away, he couldn't figure out what was going through Souta's mind, if he was right then just then Souta's mind-set shouldn't be anything other than that of a level-E's and yet he seemed to be acting so strangely...trying to grasp onto the last grains of his sanity. Even Zero thought that this treatment of a vampire was cruel. To do something like this, it was just as bad as a pureblood poisoning a human.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Zero found himself asking, his voice sounded stronger than how he felt. "Right about now you should be making some kind of sarcastic comment...or pointing out how you always say _silly things_."

Souta's face pressed harder against his chest, still trembling, his hands dropped to his lap limply. Zero clenched his fists at his sides; Souta's trembling had become almost violent, trying to piece together the words that he heard around him, trying to ignore all of the thundering heartbeats and the scent of blood that was drawing him in. Zero's frown deepened. How many times had Souta had to go through this?

Zero dropped his shoulders. He needed to carry on talking. He needed to carry on giving something for Souta to hold onto...but what should he say?! What _could_ he say?! His brows furrowed deeper..."Hey...Souta," Zero began, he wasn't sure if he'd used Souta's name before instead of calling him Miyake. "If you calm down long enough for us to get back to the Academy, then I'll make you another jam sandwich."

Zero's eyes broadened as a hand latched onto the front of his uniform jacket and held on tight, his ears heard a small sound, a gentle sound...and he knew at once that it was the sound of tears. _Shit, did I say something wrong?! _

Zero opened his mouth to speak again, but found himself falling silent as Souta tore himself away quickly and moved away towards the other side of the alley, holding his back to Zero. He got up onto his feet, tugging onto the chain of his handgun he yanked it back into his grasp and stood watching Souta, still uncertain whether he could bring himself to shoot him or not. Yet as Zero remained still on his feet, contemplating this, he quickly regretted it.

The force that he was shoved against the brick wall caused it to break and crumble around him; his eyes were squeezed shut but soon opened again at the jaws tearing into his exposed throat. Zero did not cry out, he never had, but again the handgun was gone from his grip, and he was holding onto Souta with whitened knuckles as he tried to force him off, but the blood was being drained out of him in drafts, filling Souta's starving body.

"_Miyake_!" Zero managed to cry out, taking a deep breath, wanting to tear Souta away from him before he was too weak to do so.

Souta blinked, he ripped back his head at the echoing of his name that cried out louder than the beating of the blood through those warm veins. The blood on his tongue was like none that he'd ever tasted. He heard echoes all around him of bodies beating, his sight was blurry, he could barely see Zero's form as he stood against the wall gripping at his bleeding throat wound.

A crazed laugh passed Souta's lips, his hands latched onto either side of his head, his heart pounded and the pain continued, it was never enough...never enough. Then he heard it, the click and rise of metal through the air, the tinge of magic that burned his nostrils. He moved aside, his movements almost too fluid for one to be sane, the bullet passed right by him into the wall beyond and Souta's crazed eyes met Zero's. He laughed again.

"I gave you that chance already..." Souta hissed between laughing darkly as he slinked along the wall, though almost at once his attention was taken by something else. The sound of bodies falling through the air.

Kain stumbled away as the chain flung at him out of nowhere. The figure of Miyake he held sternly in his sights, the look in his eyes bordering on entirely insane as he pulled the chain back towards him and flung it out again. Kain gasped, pushing himself off the side of the building and hitting the ground in a roll as the chain smashed into the brick building and it shattered as if it were glass. He'd never seen that look in Souta's eyes before.

He glanced momentarily at Yuuki who sat at the wall a few feet ahead of him, then matched eyes with Zero who stood opposite Miyake about another maybe twenty feet away. He didn't know what to think, Kaname hadn't said much only that he was the only other one he would trust with this, Miyake wouldn't want it any other way.

"Souta, what the hell is wrong with you!?" Kain cried out, the bloody chain lashed out at him again, Kain launched to the side and kicked off the building landing on the lower roof on the building opposite, taking into account the full extent of Souta's injuries.

Kaname stood with his arms folded as he observed the scene below. It wasn't often – if at all – that he would dare to partake in such things, but this once he realised that due to the scale of the situation, he had no choice but to do something. Kain was doing well to dodge all of the attacks that Souta was throwing at him...but he'd already let it go on for long enough, if Souta became bored of this then he wouldn't allow Kain to escape him, friend or foe mattered not to him anymore. The unconscious body of Yuuki was what bothered Kaname the most. He would take care of things quickly. He looked again at Kain who caught his eye momentarily before he jumped away again, the chain caught him by the ankle and with a bone-crunching thud Kain hit the ground.

Zero again had his handgun at his side, breathing heavily, feeling entirely lost for words as he watched the sight ahead of him...of Kain and Miyake brawling, and just as he was thinking that it couldn't get any worse, he watched at Kuran Kaname appeared, launching himself down from one of the rooftops to land a few feet away. He didn't give Zero the time of day – which he was thankful for – though Zero was somewhat worried about what Kaname was going to do, obviously this was far more serious than a level-E vampire, this was a crazed noble vampire, but did Kaname know that? Zero didn't know if anyone else was aware...and nor did he understand why that would bother him so much.

He clenched shut his eyes and steadied himself, his brows furrowed as he watched Kaname stand a few feet behind Souta who noticed his threatening presence at once, and greeted him with an _almost_ sane smirk.

Kain was suddenly ignored, and was attempting to pull himself together as the blood chain dissolved around his ankle and he focused on the figures of Souta and Kaname stood only a few feet away from him. He didn't say anything, only managed to pull himself onto his feet before he watched as the world around him seemed to fall apart at the sight of Kaname stumbling backwards.

Kaname raised his head; he felt the force press against him, Souta's true capabilities. Kaname shook it off, Souta smirked at him again before launching at him, but before Souta could do anything more Kaname raised his hand to the air and just like that Souta's body dropped to the ground, dazed at first, wobbling on his feet before dropping to his knees, unconscious in a heap on the ground.

Silence resounded around them. Kaname blinked and his eyes moved from the unconscious body of Souta towards the figure of Yuuki resting oblivious against the wall. "Akatsuki-kun," Kaname spoke up, Kain's eyes snapped to him at once. "You take Miyake-kun back to the Academy." He said as he stepped passed him, and knelt down ahead of Yuuki, taking her in his arms.

Kain nodded his head, still uncertain about all that had happened as he approached Souta and took his bloodied body up in his arms, pain filled his sights at the mess of him, seeing for the first time the scar on Souta's torso and the tattoo through his torn up uniform.

Zero watched this from the sidelines. In the end, he hadn't been able to do anything.

...

Chairman Cross stared down at the phone number that was scribbled in the folder in case of emergencies. He thought on it again, dropped his shoulders and picked up the phone, he knew that this was the only thing for it now. The number he soon found himself dialling in, and bringing the phone to his ear, he awaited the voice on the other side.

"_Good evening, this is the Miyake household."_

"Good evening. This is Chairman Cross, of Cross Academy. I was wondering if I may speak with Miyake Kaede-san, regarding her son, Miyake Souta."

"_Yes of course. Hold on a moment please, Chairman."_

The phone fell silent for a moment or two before it beeped as the call was diverted. When next the voice on the phone spoke, it was the voice of a young woman, already distinctly distraught. "_Chairman Cross? Is everything alright with Souta?"_

The Chairman paused for a moment before he answered her question. "I'm afraid that something quite unfortunate happened tonight regarding your son and a few other pupils. I thought it would be best to let you know that during a brawl with a level-E vampire, your son misplaced his Judas Cross."

"_I'm on my way_."

The Chairman opened his mouth to speak, but the phone was already dead on the other end. He blinked steadily and put the phone back down on its receiver. He hoped that having her there would make a difference...even though only a short hour had passed since Kaname had come and explained to him what had happened to the best of his knowledge, the Chairman felt as though there were many things that were yet to be said. He glanced at Yagari as he sat watching him from beyond the desk and shrugged.

"Well?"

"She's on her way." The Chairman replied. "I hope it does him some good."

...

Zero's fist initiative had been to check up on Yuuki.

Kuran had taken her to the infirmary, she was okay but still unconscious, maybe she had a concussion, that was the bet anyway, things like that tended to happen whenever a building collapsed on you. Although Zero spent a short while with sleeping Yuuki, sitting at her bedside uncaring of his own wound and the bloody mess on his uniform, his mind couldn't stop playing over what had happened. It seemed that anything to do with Miyake Souta burned into his mind and tended to replay over and over again as if it was going to continue to be never ending.

He hated that a lot.

Yet when he finally grew too weary to sit at Yuuki's side any longer, he faught against it, but he inquired about Souta, going to Kain who seemed to be the only one who was aware of what had happened.

"He didn't stay out cold for very long," Kain had told him, his hands shoved in his pockets, resting against the stone wall outside of one of the buildings that Zero used for his target practice. Where Souta was being held. "Not even long enough for us to have a proper look at his wounds. Wasn't much we could do."

"He's down there now?" Zero asked, not making eye-contact with Kain.

Kain nodded, and let out a deep mournful sigh. "Yep, and he's as awake as ever. Do you know what happened to make him like this? Kaname didn't say."

"..." Zero thought on this for a moment, he didn't know if she should answer or not. He was surprised that others didn't know about it...and questioned really why Souta had even bothered to tell him. Something as private as that, that he wouldn't even tell his own kind. "I just know what the Judas Cross means." Zero replied eventually after calculating his thoughts. "I'm going down."

Zero didn't know how long he'd been down there, just sitting against the wall, listening to the wails and cries that sounded from beyond the heavy wooden door...but he'd been listening to it for so long that he'd stopped hearing it...his heart was nothing but a dull pounding in his chest, his head ached as he rested it forwards, his calm yet sorrowful eyes stared out emptily at the cold stone ground ahead of him. Only the subtle clinking of chains from within the room could be heard aside from the burning cries of the creature those chains held captive.

He wasn't sure how he was supposed to be reacting. The longer he sat there the longer he realised that if he was in any right state of mind then he would have put Souta out of his misery long ago...he'd always been quietly aware of his conflicting emotions to do with level-E vampires. The way that he'd find himself having to numb himself whenever he pulled the trigger...there was always something so empty and lost about the eyes of those creatures as they stared up at him...always something about his heart pounding heavily in his chest, ready and willing to remind him that he was the same as them.

The pained wails, the hunger, the crazed laughing and even the tears...all of it awfully familiar, and he remembered it all, after so much had happened, all he could think about was the fact that although he'd been so close to being like that, he'd been somehow saved. _But for how much longer_? He remembered how it felt to feel like he was losing his mind...he hadn't snapped, but he'd been on the brink of insanity, yet somehow in the recent chaos he found himself hovering there once again.

The scent of Souta's blood still wafted from the other chamber, pressing against him along with the painful wailing...he felt useless. He didn't know what they were going to do about Souta, but for some reason he hoped with all that he could that the Council were not made aware of what had happened here. Souta was more dangerous than even Zero could have imagined. All thanks to the hunters in the first place. Zero felt a bitter resentment towards the hunters for maybe the first time.

Zero found himself suddenly torn out of his reverie when an unfamiliar sound filled his ears. His eyes snapped straight, his ears listening to the eerie silence that had broken through the wailing. Onto his feet, Zero pressed his face against the door and listened in closely...all he could hear now was deep breathing. If he'd fallen out cold, maybe this would be the perfect chance for them to check out the extent of his wounds.

Calming himself for a moment, Zero placed his hand on the locked door and turned the heavy key until he heard a thick click, and the door creaked open. The room was almost pitch black, maybe hued grey from the small amount of light that seeped in from under the door as Zero had shut it behind him. The room that he used for target practice had never looked so different. There were heavy chains on the far wall that he'd never seen before, running through two heavy iron loops on the wall that he had been aware of. He wondered who had brought the chains, and ones strong enough so that Souta had been unable to break them.

Zero's eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness, his ears picked up the heavy breathing of the kneeling figure as he remained hunched, hands hanging just above his drooping head, locked by those heavy chains. He didn't look up when Zero entered, nor did he really move. His fingers twitched, Zero noticed. The scent of blood flooded the chamber, yet Zero's mind was so far from fixated on his hunger that he found himself able to ignore the burning that began to fester deep within him.

With sorrowful eyes he looked down at Souta. Would it be so wrong to put him out of his misery? He was clearly in pain, his whole body was trembling, and the wounds...Zero didn't even understand how he was still alive let alone still moving around.

Zero stopped a few feet away from Souta, just out of reach. He was still being ignored, he didn't mind. He remained still, looking down at him with careful eyes, his brows furrowed as the silence began to eat away at him. Was no one going to do anything about this?

He again thought back to what Souta had told him, over Souta's reasons for acting the way that he did...for pretending to be someone that he was not. To protect people around him, he guessed...or to stop himself from getting to close to anyone.

About to lower himself down onto the ground back against the wall, Zero's eyes moved back to Souta's form as the chains rattled and a body shifted. Zero stood back to face Souta as he moved his legs from beneath him and sat with his back up against the wall, his head lifted and watching him through dazed crimson eyes. They blinked with an uneven rhythm, Souta swallowed hard, his eyes although still burning fiercely were half lidded and tired. Zero wasn't surprised that he was exhausted, only that he'd never thought he'd see such an expression on something that closely related to a level-E.

"Can you understand me?" Zero suddenly voiced without really thinking. He matched Souta's eyes, watched as his blood stained mouth gaped slightly, white fangs visible in the grey darkness as a tongue slowly ran along his bottom lip, licking off the caked blood. Zero's blood mixed with his own. He only blinked at Zero's question. He didn't understand a thing.

Zero sighed, his hands in his pockets as he looked down at Souta still, he seemed pathetic now, just sitting there, like a caged animal, licking his own wounds. Zero didn't know what to say, what to think, what to do...only that all he could do was sit there, maybe keep Souta's company until he heard any news about what was going to happen to him. About to turn around again, ready to sit back down against the wall, his crimson eyes were broad as they heard a name pass Souta's lips, so quiet and strained that he almost hadn't heard it.

"_Shizuka...hi...hime..._"

Zero's broad eyes stared down at Souta, lingering on him, but there was no recognition in Souta's eyes as they looked up at Zero, as if they saw him, but didn't see him, as if they stared directly through him. Zero wondered why he'd said it. What did that have to do with anything...? He felt angered just by hearing her name...angered as he looked at Souta...and quite suddenly he remembered something that Souta had long made him forget.

"_Shizuka-hime…her scent is all over you…I think that's why I like you so much, Zero-kun…because you belong to her." _

"_I met her…it feels like only yesterday…but I know it was more than four years ago or so…she was crying…sakura was blossoming out of season…all over the snow in our garden…she was at the riverside, I went to her, and sat next to her…and you know what, Zero…she knew my name. No one knows my name - no one knows who I am. I don't belong anywhere. But she knew who I was…and I sat with her all night."_

"_She wouldn't tell my why she was crying, but that was okay…I didn't mind. We didn't need to talk either…but she asked me…was I happy? And I told her the truth…no. No I wasn't happy…my only friend hated me…I was weak."_

"_Do you know what she did, Zero? Do you know what she gave me?"_

Zero blinked tightly and shut his eyes. He just barely remembered Souta's words to him, and wasn't sure if what he'd remembered was right or not. His eyes met Souta's again, they seemed to have recognised him, he blinked and seemed to stare hard at Zero. Zero backed away, watching Souta's eyes as they became fearful he blinked and turned away momentarily before he made a small sound that sounded like a pained cry.

"_Zero_..." he said through his choked sobs. Zero's brows furrowed, his eyes stared in bewilderment. "_Y...Yuu...ki...she...is she..."_

"She's fine." Zero found himself saying, taking a step forwards. Souta was struggling with his words; trying to force them passed lips that would not dare wish to speak with sanity. He watched Souta nod his head quickly, heard him choke back more sobs. The chains rattled as he tried to move his arms, pulling on them in frustration. Zero wasn't good at the whole comfort thing...certainly not how to comfort a vampire who was moving in and out of sanity, but he reasoned that he needed to give it a shot, maybe help place Souta's mind at ease.

"You saved her life." He began, he dropped his shoulders. "You didn't hurt anyone."

Souta shook his head and dragged himself back up onto his knees, yanking at his chains again. "_I...I hurt...Ze...Zero..."_

Zero placed his hand to his throat, his eyes unfocused for a moment. He'd almost forgotten that little fact. Zero clenched his eyes shut for a moment before he looked again upon Souta with determined eyes. He wanted to say that he wasn't hurt, that he didn't matter...but something was stopping him from saying it. Souta was not a child that needed to be coddled and told that he'd not done anything wrong.

"I'm fine." He said after a short white of debating. "Will you be able to stay still long enough for someone to look at your own wounds?" Zero asked, trying to change the subject. He took a step forwards, he heard Souta chuckle darkly through his sobs and stopped as he was, his face became void of emotion. Zero felt suddenly miserable. He couldn't believe that this was Souta...the same Souta that only a few days ago he'd so longed to kiss...even if he wouldn't openly admit it to himself.

"I didn't think so." Zero whispered to himself. He took a heavy breath and dropped his shoulders, he shook his head, and turned to leave the room, reaching out for the door handle when Souta's voice called him back.

"No! No...Zero...I'm sorry_ - so sorry...please don't go...please..._"

Zero's hand lingered on the handle a little longer before he dropped it to his side. He didn't say anything, only dropped himself down against the wall aside of the door, it didn't look like he was going to go anywhere for a while.

...

The Chairman had become well aware of Zero's constant guarding of Souta, and to some extent was pleased by it. Zero had formed some kind of attachment it seemed, something that Yagari-_sensei_ wasn't entirely pleased about. The Chairman brought down some food for Zero that he'd only seemed to pick at, and though the Chairman had also insisted that Zero have his neck wound seen to, when he did finally get it cleaned up there was nothing there. The Chairman hadn't expected anything less, honestly.

It was nearing the end of the second day when a black car pulled up ahead of the school. The Chairman watched it eagerly as its back door was opened before the driver could reach it and from the back seat, taking in the glow of the evening sunshine came the form of a woman. Her bright eyes fell over the Academy ahead of her, short – yet stylish – black hair fell around her small face. She pulled her modest jacket around her, and seeing the headmaster in the distance, matching eyes with him from afar, she was at his door within a matter of minutes.

"Chairman Cross?" The Chairman stifled a surprised gasp as gleaming topaz eyes stared at him from across the desk, glassy and disdainful, her voice was pleading. The Chairman took in the sight of her, she didn't look much older than maybe twenty-three, practically still a girl, with a small stature and build, delicate features but large expressive eyes...this was Miyake Kaede. Souta's mother.

"Miyake-san." He said, stifling a gasp. He composed himself, shifted his glasses on his nose, about to open his mouth to speak again to inform her of the situation when the door opened again, and another body entered the room.

"Miyake-san," he said, his voice smoother and more refined than the Chairman's despite his young years. She turned around at the sound of the voice, her eyes glowed, her pale lips apart slightly as she gazed with open eyes upon Kuran Kaname.

"_Hakura_..." She brought her hand to her mouth, yet her eyes looked away at once at Kaname's subtle smirk. She bowed her head at once. "Kuran-sama..." she corrected herself.

"Kaname-kun," The Chairman spoke up, now having entirely pulled himself together. "It would probably be best then if you explained to Miyake-san about the situation." Kaname nodded his head and entered the room fully, shutting the door behind him.

"Kaede-san," Kaname said, his tone becoming as gentle as he could manage it. "As it stands Souta-kun's condition doesn't seem to be getting any worse, though unfortunately nor is it getting much better...though he has calmed significantly since last night." She did not make eye-contact with him, but she nodded her head, tears gleaming in her eyes as she brought her long fingered hand to rest over her heart. "I'm afraid that we were unable to recover the Judas Cross...and I'm afraid that we have also been unable to come across another."

With a hand at her mouth her breathing became shaky. Blinking, tears rolled down her face, she took a deep breath and dropped herself down onto the chair that was opposite the Chairman's desk.

"I'm afraid, Miyake-san," The Chairman stepped forwards. "There is little more that we can do other than hope that another Judas Cross will be found."

"It is unlikely that another will be found before the Council finds out about this incident." Kaname suddenly spoke up, causing the Chairman's sympathetic eyes to harden somewhat, and for Kaede's sobs to deepen as she hid her face in her hands. "And what the Council will do regarding Souta is entirely obvious..."

Kaede shook her head almost furiously. "_No_..." she sobbed. "No! He doesn't deserve this! He never did! _They_ are the ones who did this to him!" she cried out. The Chairman furrowed his brows and lowered his head, he didn't know the details of what had happened, but he knew enough from what Kaname had told him. He was annoyed that he hadn't been aware of the matter sooner, but was not surprised by the fact that the Council hadn't said anything to him about it, since they were the ones to blame. He couldn't stand seeing Miyake-san sobbing like that.

Gently he placed his hand on her small shoulder, he almost expected her to shrug him off, but she did no such thing. Kaname's eyes seemed somewhat void, as if he was contemplating something, the Chairman made to glance at him only to finally have Kaname voice what was on his mind.

"Have you never sought out a permanent solution for Souta-kun's problem?" he asked. Kaede blinked and finally looked up at him, almost insulted that he had asked such a thing. Her brow furrowed but she lowered her eyes again, her anger dwindling back into sorrow.

"Of course," she replied. "I still search for ways to rid him of this curse and yet to this day I've never been so lucky. The Judas Cross was the only thing I could do about it..." she shut her eyes as she remembered the days before he'd had it. "He suffered for so long...that Cross...it gave me some of my son back...now without it..."

There was a pause between voices before Kaname spoke up again, as if he'd come to a decision. "I believe, Kaede-san, that I may know of a way."

...

Zero got onto his feet as he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Three pairs, if he was correct. He stood next to the door, lifting his eyes to glance over at Souta who was still out cold. He sighed. If this carried on, Souta being starved like this – along with his injuries – he would probably die.

Three knocks sounded on the door and he heard the Chairman's voice and sighed before he took the key and unlocked the door and stood back beside it again, though his eyes opened broadly as they watched a woman step into the room...he knew at once that this was probably Souta's mother...either that or an older sister he'd neglected to mention. He swallowed and went about himself and remained stood watching her as she stepped into the room, her sorrowful eyes were wet with tears, he could hear the deep thudding of her heart in her chest.

He put his hands back into his pockets; he glanced briefly at Kuran as he entered too, and the Chairman shut the door behind them, and then handed the key back over to Zero.

"Souta..." Kaede held her hands to her face; she hated seeing him like that...it seemed that she saw him like this all too often...and all that blood, the wounds, only seemed to make it all the worse. Unknowingly she took a step forwards. A hand landed on her shoulder, she was brought out of her thoughts and glanced back to the stern face of the owner of the hand. Zero's dark eyes met her brimming topaz ones.

"I wouldn't chance it." He said. "Even if he's out cold. He never stays like that for long."

Kaede swallowed and turned back with broad eyes to look at Souta meaningfully. "You are Kiriyuu Zero-kun." She said, a weak smile on her face, her eyes still brimming with glassy tears. Zero didn't really say anything, it wasn't a question, he had half a mind to think that she was going to ignore him. "Then I trust your judgement." She nodded her head softly, remembering all of the letters that Souta had written her as of late. Zero was surprised by this.

"Kuran-sama," she voiced again. "Please, _please_, do all that you can for Souta...I will be eternally grateful for it. Anything that you can do to help ease his suffering."

Zero's eyes were broad as they looked at Kaname quizzically, questioning his motives. Oddly enough Zero had always noticed Souta's almost automatic disliking of Kuran Kaname, although Kaname was not one to let such things bother him, he was however one who tended to act with the eventuality of personal gain from whatever outcome that he sculpted. Zero dropped his gaze to Souta, what would Kaname get out of this?

"Of course, Kaede-san. Chairman Cross, would you be so kind as to accompany Miyake-san while Kiriyuu-kun and I turn our attention to Souta?" Zero looked again at Kaname and his brows furrowed deeper.

"Of course, please, this way, Miyake-san."

Zero watched the both of them leave. Miyake Kaede's eyes met his momentarily before they left, she bowed her head in thanks to Kaname before she took the Chairman's hand as it was offered and was lead back out of the room. Leaving the life of her son in Kuran's hands. Zero thought she was mad...or very desperate.

"Would you lock the door, Kiriyuu-kun," Kaname offered as he took a step forwards. Zero paused for a moment longer, his frown had deepened but he eventually did as he was told, and locked the door, putting the key in his pocket before he turned back to Kaname.

"What exactly do you plan on doing, Kuran?" he asked, his voice as bitter as he felt.

Kaname glanced over his shoulder, and smirked. "You seem to be awfully defensive, Kiriyuu-kun," he said, clear amusement in his tone. Zero remained unflinching. "I will be in need of your help...for I intend to drain the curse from him in its entirety."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

Kaname looked ahead of him again, staring closely at Souta before he reached up and began to unbutton his white uniform jacket. "This will not be pleasant, Kiriyuu-kun." He replied, without answering Zero's question. "I certainly hope that you are hungry."

...

I hope you enjoyed the chapter :) this is gonna be messy Zero! haha...yeah, well i'm not gonna write what they do cos i'm trying to leave this bit behind to get to the ending, otherwise it will probably go on for too long. So you can ask me if you're curious - or let me know what you think Kaname's gonna do. Its a bit simple, but usually the best solutions are always the simplest ones - so the ones that you don't really think about.

Anyway - please R&R.


	11. Chapter 11

This chapter is the longest and the last.

Firstly I would just like to thank everyone who have reviewed and alerted and put this down for favourite, it's meant a lot as I wasn't so sure that many people would want to read this story because of Souta – since he's an OC. But I've really been pleased with the interest and your reviews have meant a lot, most certainly the ones from those of you who liked my little messed-up Souta :)

I hope you enjoy this final chapter, and for old time's sake, drop me that _one last review_, anyone and everyone, just let me know what you think and I will be much obliged, I've had a really, _really_ bad week, and your reviews would make me smile!

Enjoy!

...

Chapter Eleven

A bright light seemed to shatter through the crimson as it dulled ahead of his sights. Aching, throbbing...so tired...so hungry but so full. Seeing all at once the flicker of veins around him, like light in the gloom, shocking him into submission. His body cried out, screaming for reprieve, to be soothed or die...it was like drowning in sorrow. Swallowed by his own predatory instincts that he'd tried so hard to control. Forced to rely on them, having to search needlessly after being deprived for so very long...the pain was intense.

Moving in and out of consciousness, he realised he could smell blood. Like a heavy perfume, causing his body to throb further, for fingers to lash out, to tear flesh that he never seemed to reach. _Frustration_. _Anger_. _Blind fury_. _Sorrow._ A voice had tried to sooth him, two voices, both speaking low...two people...holding onto him; he heard something that sounded vaguely familiar..._Miyake..._wasn't that his name?

Tears of rage fuelled him forwards. He felt that flesh at his fingertips, the power of something gripping onto his wrists and body, holding him back. He couldn't move, couldn't speak...torn through with fear and total hatred for himself...he didn't accept the name as his own. Miyake...Miyake Souta. That was what they were saying...yelling at him now, filled with concern...but he couldn't accept that name, nor the pain that came with it. This creature that he was, that was _not_ Miyake Souta. It was a monster.

Retribution. The monster longed for it. Blood was drawn away from him...more blood...more and more blood that he so desperately needed...then he was fed...blood filled his gasping husk, his eyes cleared...but the blood was taken again...the monster moaned, in a blind rage, so tired of crying in pain. So very tired. Why did they torment him like that? Cause him so much pain? Drawing his blood away, just to give it back to him again...even though each time, the pain in his heart eased...the weight lifted until there was nothing.

The warmth of the sun gleamed in through the window, breaking through the pleat in the canopy, gleaming a thin stream of light across his face. He felt it, even amongst the blackness of his nightmares...he felt the thundering in his heart had ebbed away...he could breathe smoothly...but the aches were not all gone.

Topaz eyes, dazed yet warm looked up into the shadows of the canopy above him. He longed to lift his arm, to turn away and filter the sun from his face, but he could manage no such thing. A small agitated sound passed dry lips, his body felt so strange, like a dead weight, although his soul felt all the lighter.

There was movement around him that he felt almost at once, and the light was gone from his face as he felt the heat of a body come closer. Soft topaz eyes met eyes that gleamed down at him with the same smooth gleam...yet were glassy with tears.

"_O...okaasan...?"_

Miyake Kaede nodded her head; her tears failed her as she rested forwards, her short hair tied away from her heart-shaped face as she pressed her lips against his forehead. The salt of the tears agitated Souta's senses, he blinked, his throat felt so raw, his body throbbed as though a..._building collapsed on me..._

Kaede saw the change in her son's eyes as they suddenly became livid and fearful. He did not care for his injuries any longer, he was about to sit up to ask questions to blame himself, but she would not let him. Her hands pressed against his shoulders gently, minding his injuries, and he groaned slightly in protest, his eyes meeting hers almost angrily before he dropped himself back down, feeling such an awful ache in his abdomen.

"Hush, hush..." she whispered, patting his dark hair from his eyes, her soft teary eyes took in the sight of him, wanting to sooth the rest of his pain. "It's alright now, Sou-chan...everything is fine now..."

"Okaasan – what happened – what..." Souta choked on his words; lifting his hand to his tight throat he felt the thick texture of bandages there, his mind throbbed with a dreary nightmare...the pain...fangs biting down, tearing away his flesh, ripping apart his throat..._the level-E..._he managed to get himself propped up, his eyes wondering down and around...avoiding his mother's eyes almost completely. Pain flashed through his eyes as he realised what had happened...as he remembered what he'd done. The agony of it swelled up in his chest, he brought his hands to his face...he didn't understand...he didn't know what to think what to do...only to cry.

"Souta..." his mother, rested her hand upon his head, she could smell the salt of his tears, although his hands struggled to hide them...she could hear the depths of his sobs from his very heart...and the dream-like realisation that he didn't need to wear the Judas Cross anymore.

Kaede smiled broadly, she rested forwards, pressing her body against that of her only son and held onto him close...Souta could not return the gesture...he continued to hide his face, his sobs of fear mixed with those of joy.

"It's alright, Souta..." she whispered, pressing her face against his. "You don't have to suffer like that anymore..." He remained like that, coddled in her warm embrace, trying to sort out his fantasies from the reality of what had actually happened. How long ago had that been now? It felt like so long ago...but it couldn't have been much longer than a day...otherwise his injuries would have healed by now – or at least he supposed.

Kain opened the door slowly, he didn't want to disturb whatever was going on...though after hearing voices he had felt somewhat inclined to take a look inside and see how Souta was doing. Aidou clung to his side as always. Kain shut the door softly behind he and Aidou and looked over the darkened room, both wearing their pyjamas as it was still early in the morning yet. At once Kain could smell the tears upon the air, mixed with the scent of drying blood, a mixture of scents of drying blood...yet all emitted from Souta.

It didn't seem to be long before their presence was noted by the two others in the room. Kaede backed away steadily from her son yet remained sitting at his side on the bed, as Souta lowered his hands from his face, broad topaz eyes met the casual amber of Kain's, and the icy blue of Aidou's and his heart he felt sink just that little bit more.

"Souta," Kaede placed her hand on his head, and looked towards Kain and Aidou with a smile in her eyes. "I hope you don't mind, but...I informed Akatsuki-kun of what happened to you and of the Judas Cross...and Hanabusa-kun was eaves dropping," she smiled at the both of them, a warm smile that made Aidou somewhat embarrassed, annoyed that he was caught.

Souta lowered his head and swallowed the last of his sobs; he'd cried enough because of what had been done to him...he didn't want to cry anymore. He took a deep breath, but winced as it hitched painfully in his chest.

"Akatsuki..." Souta began, blunt memories flashed ahead of his mind, he winced again. "I...about what I did...I'm -,"

"Don't worry about it." Kain lifted his hand to the air to cut across him and walked further into the room. "I just wish I'd known...well you haven't got any excuses now, you _have_ to act like yourself. I'm just glad that I understand a little better now, about what was going on."

"I...I couldn't tell you...I'm sorry,"

"Souta," Kain sighed. "Doesn't matter, okay. I'm fine, perfectly so."

"Yeah really, I mean he hasn't shut up about you long enough to tend his own scrapes and bruises." Aidou pouted, glaring up at Akatsuki and folding his arms. "Not that there were any – but honestly, I didn't think he could aggravate me as much as he's done these past four days."

"Four days?" Souta voiced, looking up at them with wide genuine eyes that neither of them had thought they would see on his face. "It's been four days?"

Kaede brushed hair from his face so that she could get a better look at him. Her smile though, refused to dwindle. "Everything is all right now, Souta. The rest of the Night Class believe that you were injured...a building did collapse on you, sweetheart."

"Yuuki!" He said suddenly, his voice urgent. "Is she -,"

"Everyone is _fine_, Souta." Kain raised his mellow voice slightly and shook his head at the urgency in Souta's voice. "Do you want me to tell you again, huh?"

"But I -,"

"But you _what?_" Aidou raised an eyebrow, his arms still folded, looking so stern. "_You're_ the only one that everyone's been fawning over. _You're _the one that everyone has been worried about. So chill, everyone else is perfectly fine."

Everyone had been worried about _him_. It almost sounded like some kind of sick joke. As if any moment now, someone would lay the blame on him, someone would scream blue murder at him, calling him a killer, calling him insane...but for some reason...that voice never actually came.

"Do you remember much of what happened?" Kain asked as he and Aidou approached the bed and stood at the foot of it. Souta glanced back at them, and me their eyes before he looked down again, at his palms...he remembered blood. Lots and lots of blood.

"Bits a pieces." He replied. "The building...I remember the building collapsing...I remember less and less along the line." He replied, entirely truthful. The last thing he remembered was attacking Kain...and just barely remembered it.

"Well that's about as much that happened." Kain replied, attempting to be reassuring. "I'm sure you've nothing to be worried about."

"You should be recuperating." Aidou scolded. "Do you need any blood tablets?"

Souta thought on it for a moment and nodded his head in thanks. "Okay, we'll get to that. Besides, Kaname-sama wanted to be informed when you woke up. Come on, Akatsuki."

Souta waited until they left to turn to his mother and ask the question that was on his mind. "Did I hurt Zero?"

She blinked, looking deeply into his eyes, so filled with sincerity. She smiled and shook her head. "As far as I know, he's fine. He and that Yuuki girl came to see you a few times. Though she did most of the talking. She's so sweet."

"I think so too." He smiled weakly.

"She's almost like a kind of little sister," Kaede smiled as she got up from the side of the bed. "Aww, wouldn't it be nice if you had a little sister?"

"That would be entertaining."

"I'm glad you think so." She seemed to have an evil glint to her eyes, and a warmth in her heart at the calmed look that had settled in Souta's usually intense eyes. "I rather fancy myself and Cross Kaien fellow," she winked.

"The _Chairman_?!" he hissed, looking at her in clear disbelief. "But he's so -,"

"_Human_? Oh yes dear, I'm fully aware of that." She smirked.

"You enjoy playing with fire, don't you?" Souta raised an eyebrow; she knew exactly what he meant. Approaching him she pressed her lips against his hair and smiled broadly as Aidou and Kain re-appeared, Kain walking over and handing Souta the water and blood tablets.

"Kaname-sama says he'll stop by to see you shortly."

"Thank-you, Kain," Souta nodded to him as he received the blood tablets and looked down at them eagerly, these things would probably become his best friend now...he'd never really been able to take them well before, when the curse was upon him.

"See you later, Souta, we need to get some sleep, we've got to be up for class in a few hours." Kain nodded as he and Aidou backed steadily out of the room. Souta nodded to them again with as much of a smile as he could manage, and as his mother sat watching him carefully from the window, glancing out at the day, he drank down plenty of water with as much blood tablets that he could manage before he turned to glance at her again.

"What does Kaname want?" he asked, the tone of his voice was almost bitter, he looked down at the glass he held in his hands, he felt his mother's eyes upon him. He heard her take a deep breath, she remained at the window yet shut the heavy drape and turned back to her son, resting her hands upon her lap.

"Kuran-sama..." she began before pausing briefly. "He and Kiriyuu-kun were the ones who helped free you of your curse...though Kuran-sama won't tell me exactly what he did, he assures me that you will not be suffering any ill affects because of it...aside from maybe your slightly lapsed healing abilities that should speed up again as you gradually begin to recover. He probably wants to check to see if you're alright...Sou-chan...there's no need to hate him."

"Hate? I don't hate him." Souta replied, raising an eyebrow as he looked towards his mother almost surprised that she'd come to that kind of conclusion. "He just hasn't seemed to have made any effort to enjoy my company therefore I've made no effort to enjoy his. He doesn't seem to like that I don't fear him like the others do...though now I suppose I know why."

Kaede lowered her brows; Souta had turned away from her again. She was about to open her mouth to speak, but he looked at her, his face brightened somewhat by half a smile. "It's okay, okaasan." He began. "You don't need to explain about why you didn't tell me. I get it...I really do...but I bet something like that must have been pretty hard to keep secret for so long." He sighed deeply, bringing one of his hands to the bandage around his throat. "So," he decided to change the topic. "He's the one who got rid of this curse?"

"And Kiriyuu-kun helped, I'm sure." She smiled warmly. She caught the unguarded look in Souta's eyes, a sort of depth...a sorrow that she wasn't so comfortable with. "You never wrote to tell me what happened at that masked dance."

"Nothing much happened," he shrugged, but the sorrow did not leave his eyes. "I got to dance with a human girl. Yori. She was nice to talk to."

"And nothing else happened?" she inquired further, folding her legs neatly as he raised an inquisitive eyebrow. He seemed to shrug, rubbing his fingers gently along this throat as if he could feel the gouged flesh beneath.

"Nothing of any relevance."

"Sou-chan," she said it kindly, but almost sternly. Souta turned at her with raised brows. "I'm your mother, please, treat me as such. You can be yourself around me, even if you're finding it hard to be so around your friends, but please -,"

"I can't help it, its' just...something I've become so damn used to! It's hard to shake habits like that." He pouted, and Kaede smiled broadly.

"That's more like it." She nodded in approval, he continued to scowl, his lips pressed together in a thin line. "Now, tell me about Zero."

"_Okaasan..._" he drawled, almost angrily.

"I haven't seen you get like this over a person since...oh...well since that hunter girl. Oh, you do tend to go for the wrong people, don't you?" she smiled. "We must share that trait!"

"I doubt I'm as bad as you." He muttered, dropping himself back against the pillows, feeling the smoothness of them against his bandaged back.

"Ohh I don't know about that," she teased, dropping herself playfully down next to him, ready to push all of his buttons. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you had a crush on two hunters now. You like things that are dangerous, don't you?" she giggled heartily, watching as colour seemed to flood back to Souta's face as he blushed behind the fall of his hair. "But the fact that this time it's a male, I find _that_ surprising."

"Forbidden and dangerous." Souta smirked without really meaning too. His mother laughed and patted him gently on the leg, at least where she supposed his leg was beneath the thick duvet. "You don't seem to be that surprised, actually." He noted, looking his mother in the eyes.

She smiled honestly and took a deep breath. "Do whatever makes you happy, sweetheart." She told him. "Or I'll have to do it for you."

...

The world felt a little bit cold just then.

Zero stared out at the classroom, it felt like an endless abyss of words, numbers and letters. Yuuki scribbled down something two rows ahead of him...she seemed to be able to concentrate, but Zero...he couldn't keep still. His head was practically buzzing, as it had done for a few days now.

He'd barely slept. Maybe an hour or so a night...too busy rolling around, too busy thinking, wanting..._longing_ for something he knew that he could not have. It was like a whole new kind of madness, making him toss and turn, making him space out, get lost in a daze where he is very much totally oblivious to anyone and anything around him. It make his hair stand on end, made his throat go dry, made his stomach do summersaults...he heaved a deep sigh, and dropped his head heavily down onto the table.

The sound of it echoed throughout the classroom. Eyes spared a glance at him, yet most met with his glare...Zero almost couldn't bring himself to glare any longer, and quickly, before the teacher could comment he found himself on his feet, heading out of the classroom.

Zero carried on down the sun lit corridors and carried on and on down the stairs until he found himself wondering outside. He heaved a deep sigh, ran his fingers through his hair and thought maybe he would need to think up a sarcastic excuse to give Yuuki later about his behaviour, but until then he felt the need to be very much alone to snap himself out of whatever trance that he was in.

He's heard from the Chairman that yesterday Souta had woken up. He didn't know why that bothered him so much...he honestly didn't. Nor did he understand why it bothered him so much to know that yesterday Souta and his mother also left the Academy. Nor did he understand why it bothered him so much to learn that Souta would not be coming back.

He hoped with all of his might that Yuuki wouldn't put two and two together. Heaving a sigh, Zero dropped himself down outside, at the foot of a tree he realised that once held sanctuary for that said sleeping vampire that now he found would not only leave his mind...but that he didn't want to. He felt he had much more that he longed to say to Souta...that he wanted to see if he was okay, ask him about what had happened. He hated to admit it, but he felt somewhat empty now without the mindless ramblings of that said vampire to keep him awake at night and wondering.

Zero though, as he remembered back to the two days ago, before Souta had awoken, he'd been given the impression that there was no chance in hell that Souta was about to leave Cross Academy, no matter how beat up he was...at least that was the idea that Miyake Kaede gave him.

She seemed to have gotten along quite famously with the Chairman during her short stay...which Zero not only found odd, but thought provoking. He didn't expect Miyake Kaede to act so..._human_. Of course she was as exotically beautiful as any other Noble that he'd seen before, and yet she appeared to be so very modest, wondering around in a pair of jeans and a blouse. To Zero she looked like...like a mother should look. She was the single mother that all the guys had a crush on. That's what Yuuki had said about her, and Zero had thought she was right.

She seemed to be the female version of Souta, almost entirely, except for the look in their eyes. Her eyes were friendly, comforting, warm, they did anything aside from make you think that she was a vampire, and it could have been entirely forgotten if not for her enticing beauty – while Souta's eyes, they held something hidden and painful within them, something cold and sorrowful, something – as Yuuki had pointed out on more than one occasion – that he shared with Zero.

Zero hated that she was a hard person to dislike. And she too had been the one who'd said that Souta would probably stay at the Academy now, probably more comfortable now that he was free of his burden...she always glanced at Zero knowingly whenever she mentioned it, as if she knew what exactly had happened...Almost without realising, Zero brought his fingers to his lips and heaved a deep sigh.

Zero realised that he had more than one reason to dislike Souta now...but he understood a little better why his blood was so tempting to him. Shizuka-hime. Souta had met her probably a few days before the attack on his parents...and the betrayal by Ichiru. Souta seemed to have loved Shizuka-hime...Zero hated that...but he didn't hate Souta as much as he wished that he did.

Worse than that, was that Zero had questions – so many damn questions that he wanted to ask – but he didn't believe that they would ever be answered now. Folding his hands behind his head, he settled his elbows on his knees and heaved a deep breath. Life was starting to look slightly confusing – well, even more so than usual. His infatuation – _yes, infatuation _– with Souta was odd, _very odd_ to say the least, so he couldn't quite understand why he was feeling that way at all...the want to see him, to have him yammer on uncontrollably about things that Zero couldn't even begin to understand. He'd never met anyone like Souta before, let alone any vampire like him. It was undeniably frustrating, but at the same time, Zero found himself angry at not being angry at him. He'd been unpredictably, quirky, different, aloof...but half of the time he'd not entirely been himself. Zero could understand why, he seemed to be trying to keep people at arm's length, but that his own heart wouldn't really allow it. He was like that to other people too, wasn't he? It wasn't just how he was with Zero...was it?

"Even now he won't leave me alone..." Zero hissed, speaking to the ground as he massaged the back of his neck with his hands. He barely noticed as Yuuki dropped herself down next to him, her broad eyes looking out at the rest of the school grounds from sat comfortably beneath the tree. Zero didn't speak up to acknowledge her.

"Sensei sent me after you," she sighed, smoothing out the creases in her skirt across her knees. "It's a bit weird for you, to get up and go in the middle of class, usually you just don't show up at all." She managed a small smile as she looked down at him. "Is this about Miyake-senpai?"

Somehow every time until then, Zero had always managed to skip passed the subject of Miyake-senpai, every time that she asked or mentioned it...this time she could only hope for the same.

"It's okay to be worried about him, Zero." She continued, realising that he wasn't about to say anything. "That's probably the last thing that you want to hear...and I know I didn't know Miyake-senpai very well, but I know that he is a good person. He pulled me away, sheltering me under him when that building collapsed on top of us. He didn't have to do that...he was trying to push me away. Thankfully now I understand why he was trying to push me away and why he acted the way that he did. Must have been hard for him to get close to people, being afraid all the time that he might slip up. It must be awful to hate yourself." She wrapped her arms around herself, and rested her head upon them, looking towards Zero on her right. She wondered if any of it was getting through to him.

"We'll probably see him again," she said. "Oh, I know, lets go and see the Chairman, apparently he had something to tell us." She got up onto her feet quickly and put out her hand towards him. "Come on, Zero." She smiled.

Zero lifted his head and looked up at her smiling face, he didn't smile in kind, but he reached out and took her hand, grateful for it, always so grateful for her. She yanked him up as best as she could and soon enough they were on their way to see the Chairman.

...

Souta pulled back his hair again, his hair tie held between his teeth as he pulled back as much as he could, his bangs falling ahead of his eyes again after only a few seconds. He sighed, giving up leaving the bangs alone, folding the hair behind his ears as he picked up the paint brush again and looked up at the canvas ahead of him.

He'd been working on it for two weeks now, on and off, his mother had hardly sat still enough for him to get her face right. He looked at her again as she sat just off to his left, her hands resting upon her lap, her body garbed gently in a lacy white gown. He pursed his lips, looked at her and back at the painting and again started on the lace design.

It had been nearly a month since he'd left Cross Academy, his injuries where healed, though they'd not left without leaving a kindly reminder. He felt a tightness in his throat whenever he turned his head, the new flesh and muscle and arteries that had had to replace the old ones were just that – new and tight, and still slightly pink and fresh looking.

Painting had somehow become his outlet during the past weeks, he'd began to run out of ideas – most certainly nearly hit a creative block after his first piece – though he'd soon eased back into it, having felt he was in need of its distraction. He could usually paint on and on without the slightest pause, if he immersed himself in it enough. He really felt that he'd needed the distraction.

He glanced at the lace of his mother's gown again and continued with the detailed painting, almost like a photograph as it rested out ahead of him, almost complete if not for her gown being half finished. Maybe a few touch ups to her features and skin tone, Souta wasn't sure if it did his mother justice. He was almost certain that it looked more like him than her, but she disagreed at once. "_Oh no, no, no, you're far more handsome than that_."

Kaede watched Souta's placid face as he painted, a smile appeared upon her features as her eyes passed over him, noticing the lack of necklace that made some kind of fear well up within her, yet at the same time, eased her mind almost entirely. It was wonderful to have Souta back like this again. She smiled again as he brushed hair away from his face, a smudge of grey/white paint smearing along his cheekbone, she didn't say anything, though barely managed to keep a straight face. She took a deep breath, Souta looked at her again, his eyes serious, yet with a peacefulness within them that she loved to see. She'd missed those eyes so much.

"What did you do of that painting you finished of that handsome knight?" she asked, thinking back on the painting that he'd been working on, on and off since he'd come back. It was different to his usual work, it seemed so dark and eerie, yet held a graceful looking knight, stood there warding off what she could only assume were demons, guarding behind him a princess. She knew these faces, she knew the face of the knight and she knew the face of the princess, she liked that painting very much, but it seemed that he'd decided to keep it hidden. It was one of his finest pieces to date, she'd longed to hang it in the parlour, but he'd been almost adamant against it.

"Hm?" he didn't look away from the painting, in fact he seemed to be leaning closer, an eyebrow raised in concentration as he continued to sweep the paintbrush steadily and effectively over the decorated canvas.

"That knight and princess that you painted?" she said gently, a smile on her lips.

"Oh, that," he glanced at her briefly, he spoke slowly, his mind on something else entirely. "I'm not telling you."

"Oh, Sou-chan!" she pouted.

He glanced at her finally and smiled. "Stay still, okaasan. I've almost finished."

Kaede nodded her head and took a deep breath, a few odd things on her mind that evening. The sun had set a while ago now, though it was still reasonably early...Souta hadn't slept again that day, too busy with another piece of artwork that he'd locked himself in his studio and hadn't let himself out until he was finished with it...though she was certain that she'd heard the haunting song of his violin a few times as she lay attempting to sleep. He was being awfully withdrawn, although she believed that she knew the reason for this.

As much as she knew he wouldn't admit it, he missed Cross Academy. Probably not the place, but the people. She didn't like that he was alone so much, she never had, but half of the time she'd tempted him to leave once in a while, be more sociable, she knew why he chose not to, why he decided to stay at home. He'd always faced such ridicule...she wished she could tell them, tell them that he was someone to be respected just as much as they, and yet she could not.

She turned her eyes to look down over the railing and towards the lower half of the grand room they presently used as a library and study. Her eyes were drawn to the high windows and out towards the driveway; she felt a small coil of hope inside her as she caught the gleam of golden headlights cutting through the gloom.

She was on her feet and descending the spiral stairs to the lower level before Souta had raised his head and realised that she'd gone. He looked around in alarm. "Okaasan?" his brows became furrowed, and he placed the brush and pallet aside as he got onto his feet and went over to the metal rail to look down at the large room below. He couldn't see her. "Okaasan!" he called out, still looking around in confusion, somewhat annoyed that she'd upped and left without saying anything...or had she? And he'd not been listening. He found he did that a lot when he was concentrating, of course he would reply, but it would never entirely sink in.

He sat himself down again, and continued to paint the lace in as delicately as he could; he decided that he would wait until his mother returned.

Kaede pulled the shawl about her shoulders as she heard the maids shuffle around the grand entrance hall. Her face brightened into a smile as the door was opened and a small amount of luggage was hauled in by the butler, she directed that he should take them straight to the guest rooms and quickened her pace as three figures stepped into the mansion – well – one of them was being pushed.

"Kaien-san!" she waved as she noticed him looking up ahead of him at the grand staircase. She smiled broadly and his eyes met hers, and brightened immediately to put out his hands to greet her, yet she at once took him into a disorderly hug.

"Kaede-san," he smiled. "Thank-you for inviting us. We've been looking forwards to this trip for quite some time."

"I've been wondering all day when you would arrive!" She smiled cheerfully as she finally let him free from her warm embrace. She looked over to the princess who still stood behind her knight, and her smile warmed. "I'm thankful that the three of you could come. I'm sure it has been a very long trip."

"Ah thank-you for sending that car to pick us up," the Chairman grinned after being caught off guard as a maid reached behind him to take his jacket and scarf, much as was Yuuki's, although they stayed a fair distance away from the brooding Zero. "I'm not too great with directions." He laughed.

"Not a problem at all," Kaede looped her arm with his and directed him towards the staircase. "I've had some tea made up for us in the lounge, if you'd all like to come and rest – or since it is late – maybe bed and greetings in the morning? There will be plenty of time."

Yuuki sheepishly put up her hand. "Would it be alright if I just...caught up in the morning...? I don't mean to be rude..."

"Of course," Kaede smiled as she finally released the Chairman's arm and approached Yuuki, who promptly was received by Kaede's kind embrace. "Souta and I do keep odd hours, though he is very much used to the sun, he doesn't mind it at all."

"Okay, thank-you Kaede-san." Yuuki bowed. "I'll see you in the morning, father, Zero."

Zero grumbled something, his eyes lowered, his brows furrowed as his hands remained deep in his pockets, he should have spoken up, told them that he was tired too, but he hadn't been able to say anything. Now their eyes were on him.

_Traitor_, he thought as he watched Yuuki glance back at him with a glint in her eyes before she continued onwards up the stairs lead by a manservant until she was entirely out of view.

"And how about you, Kiriyuu-kun?" Kaede offered. "Would you like to join us? Or perhaps go Souta-hunting?" she smiled broadly, Zero looked her in the eyes, so very hard to believe that she was a vampire...although now in her gown she looked very much the part. He worried for the life of the Chairman a little bit.

"Yes, Kiriyuu-kun, why don't you go and see how Souta-kun is doing?" the Chairman offered, and suddenly Zero couldn't care less if she drained him. He looked at him but they were already on their way out.

"He's that way, hovering around the library," Kaede motioned with her arm above her head, and pointed in the direction of an open archway that lead down a long corridor. Zero suddenly found himself hovering very much alone in the entrance hall...feeling a little as though...he'd been set up.

Souta called for his mother again, but she didn't seem to be coming. He still had the lace to finish but he felt somewhat unsettled suddenly, and there was a strange scent in the air that he found a little too familiar. Furrowing his brows he wiped away whatever paint he had on his face and headed back towards the railings, the door he knew was located somewhere beneath that overhang.

He stood steadily upon it, trying to look over a little more, but to no avail. He couldn't hear her, nor could he see her, and her scent was all over the mansion so that went out of the door too. He took a deep breath and calmed himself, moving back over to the painting, he didn't like this uneasy feeling, he felt as if he was missing something but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Yet the lace was calling to him, and so he went back to his work, paintbrush and pallet back in hand as he once more continued the elegant pattern on the canvas, quickly immersed in his work, blind, deaf and entirely dumb to the world around him.

Zero stepped into a large room which he assumed to be the library for an obvious reason. It was filled with books. He allowed his eyes to travel around the room, the roof above him was low, but the further into the room he stepped he realised that it was probably just an overhang and saw the spiral staircase a few feet away beyond some bookshelves. The room was towering, rich, and old fashioned yet held a touch of the modern world in the form of a laptop computer and what looked like an entertainment system was set up on the far side of the room. He was almost afraid to touch anything, so many of the vases and table-tops were made out of glass...he had never been good with glass.

The further into the room he stepped the more he could smell the oil of paints and just beneath that the scent of blood. Zero paused and lowered his head at the sound of a displeased sigh, so quiet that he almost missed it, and when he looked up and through the railing of the overhang, he saw more and more books...and the top of a head of black hair ahead of what looked like maybe a six foot canvas.

It was weird...thinking that he was going to go and see him again. Although he'd had a few weeks to prepare before the school break, knowing that he would be spending it there. Somehow the idea hadn't exactly sunk in very well. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair, why was he here again?

Souta stopped momentarily, the paintbrush hovering just above the canvas. That scent...that teasing scent. Upon his feet Souta turned around, ready to head for the stairs and take himself down, but almost at once Souta found himself stumbling backwards, a name gasped from his lips as his broad topaz eyes met calm violet ones.

"Zero!" Souta almost stumbled into his painting though managed to catch himself just in time and poised himself, looking deeply into Zero's eyes, his heart he felt beating wildly in his chest. "What the hell are you doing here?!" he said before he could stop himself, lacking all of his usual grace.

Zero's face remained stern and he rolled his eyes. "Your mother invited us. The Chairman and Yuuki are here too. Were you spaced out or something? I've been calling your name since I got to the top of the steps."

"Or something..." Souta composed himself, his eyes looking away from Zero's as he stood up straight and thought over a few things. "My okaasan never told me that you were coming."

"I've gathered." Zero still found himself looking at Souta although he'd seemed to have looked away, was focusing on something else. Souta was certainly different compared to the last time that they'd spoken...it had been weeks, hadn't it. "She invited us for the week, while school is out."

"The week?" Souta met Zero's eyes again and rolled his shoulders, reaching back for his hair tie he pulled it out, and his face was shadowed again...Zero noticed that it had grown much longer since the last time that they'd seen one another. Zero was slightly annoyed...Souta seemed just as aggravated as he did about the ordeal. "I can't believe she managed to keep this from me – how long ago did she invite you?"

"Why? Does it matter?" Zero shrugged, it didn't matter to him. In the whole time that he'd had to think about this he'd not managed to think of one single excuse for avoiding this trip, not even one.

Souta's eyes seemed to have hardened as they met Zero's again, becoming suddenly more refined, like how he remembered them to be. "I suppose not." He replied. "So..." he looked directly at Zero and realised that he had no idea what he was supposed to say. "Do you want a tour or something?"

"Or something." Zero shrugged, taking in Souta's frame again, he looked strange without his uniform on...without being covered in bandages and blood. "How have you been?" he asked before he'd even thought.

Souta smiled slightly, but it was only fleeting. "I've been good. All healed up nicely...how about you?"

Idle chit-chat. God how Souta hated idle chit-chat. Zero wasn't much of a fan either.

"I'm fine."

Silence fell between them after Zero's bland answer. Souta felt his stomach coil, he took a deep breath, hoping to settle it...now he didn't know what to do...what should he say, what _could_ he say? He blinked and met Zero's eyes again...he could hear Zero's heartbeat hastening.

"You haven't really had any good impressions of me, have you, Zero?" Souta smiled softly, his eyes gentle; different to what Zero was used to. His face remained rigid, he swallowed and his jaw hardened. Souta sighed, he couldn't believe that his mother had done this...so what he decided that he didn't want to go back to Cross Academy – didn't she realise that there was a _reason_?! She'd done this on purpose, he decided, his mother was officially evil.

Souta smirked, noticing that Zero had visibly squirmed; nothing seemed to have really changed between them. Souta allowed his eyes to fall to Zero's throat, purposefully causing him to glance away. Souta ran his fingers through his hair and looked away briefly, his lips curled into a smirk. "Come on, you look hungry."

Zero chose not to argue further and nothing was spoken between them as he followed Souta throughout the large house, realising that they were heading for the kitchen. Maids seemed to be hovering in there, but once Souta entered they seemed to leave, and Zero had to move out of the entrance as they were left alone in the large kitchen.

"Sandwich?" Souta asked, looking over to Zero after showing him to sit down at the hefty table in the centre of the room. Zero glanced at him, and nodded. "Anything in particular?" he asked, shoving his face into the refrigerator, Zero watching his back as his head vanished beyond the door. Zero felt heat rising to his face.

"Anything will be fine." Zero managed to say as Souta's head popped up over the top of the fridge door. Souta smiled and nodded his head before coming out with a whole bunch of things, including a small box of chocolates.

"Here, try some of these," he said, his eyes seemed devious as he slipped the small golden box across the broad wooden table to Zero on the other side, as he also settled down the sandwich fillings. "Someone gave them to my okaasan the other day,"

"What's in them?" Zero asked cautiously as he eyed Souta who continued making sandwiches. He glanced up at Zero and smiled calmly.

"Something's in them that's similar to the blood tablets. They're surprisingly tasty, okaasan and I thought they would be horrid..." Souta replied honestly. "It's a little bit more inconspicuous than the tablets too, but fattening."

Zero wasn't so sure at first...he'd never taken well to the blood tablets...but he was curious. As Souta continued to make the sandwich Zero reached forwards and took up one of the small round chocolates and inspected it momentarily. It looked and smelt just like chocolate. Souta watched him through the heavy fall of his dark bangs, he felt a small tingle at the back of his throat as Zero brought the chocolate to his lips and bit down.

"What do you think?" Souta asked, finishing the sandwiches and setting them out on the plates as his eyes moved back to Zero as he swallowed the chocolate before he looked back up at Souta.

"It's odd." Zero confirmed. Souta grinned and looked down at his sandwich as he took a seat on one of the benches beneath the large table. "But it's oddly agreeable."

"Isn't it," Souta reached for the rest of the chocolate in Zero's fingers, holding gently onto Zero's wrist, his mouth closed over the chocolate, tasting the tips of Zero's fingers on his tongue. Zero's body went rigid, his eyes wide as he watched Souta lick the melted chocolate from his fingertips before he suddenly snatched back his hand with a scowl.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he hissed. Souta smirked, his lips pressed together as he ran his tongue along his fangs.

"I've missed this." He found himself laughing softly as he looked at Zero's embarrassed face. "I couldn't help myself, Zero."

"You haven't changed at all." Zero scowled reaching for a tea-towel to wipe his fingers. He could feel the heat rising to his face, anger he was sure of it..._yeah...anger_.

"I haven't?" Souta smirked. "I was oddly myself around Zero; it's only going to get worse for you."

"Just for me?" Zero raised an angered brow, pressing his lips together.

"Yes," Souta's eyes matched Zero's. "Just for Zero."

Zero grumbled before he brought the sandwich to his lips, trying to ignore Souta suddenly although he found himself lowering the sandwich back to the plate. Zero laced his fingers together and placed them on the table as Souta brought his own sandwich to his lips and began to eat. Zero kept his head low but his eyes watched Souta, his teeth grinding together.

Souta couldn't believe how cruel his mother was in doing this. Just seeing Zero again was enough to make him want to taste him...bringing back memories of that night a few weeks ago...he remembered losing control...his fangs biting deep into the flesh on his neck...Souta swallowed, lowering the sandwich down to the plate. This was far, far more difficult than he thought it would be...not that he ever hoped that he had to think about it.

"Do you want me to show you to your room?" Souta asked as he got up onto his feet, taking the plate in his hand, suddenly he'd lost his appetite for such things. Zero watched him put the plate aside and reach for the chocolates, taking one before offering one to Zero who declined then put them back in the refrigerator.

"I take it we're going anyway?" Zero asked, following Souta out of the kitchen again, able to feel the sudden tension in the air, feeling his stomach churning, watching Souta almost too carefully as he walked away ahead of him, leading him up a staircase that looked like it was probably in place for staff use.

"I suppose we are." Souta replied, he couldn't look back at Zero...they were so very alone...Souta couldn't smell anyone around for a while...the base of his neck ached, a strange but welcoming sensation.

"I'm not tired."

Souta paused for a moment before he swiftly continued, opening a doorway and came out into a grander hallway, Zero still following behind him. "In which case I don't know what to do with you. There's nowhere for you to hide here."

"I don't intend on hiding."

Souta scowled and stopped suddenly in the hallway before he turned to look at Zero, his features were stern. For some reason he felt somewhat annoyed at Zero's sudden change in character. He noticed the confusion in Zero's eyes that didn't seem to belong there, could hear the echo of his heartbeat in his ears...could taste the blood on the end of his tongue. Souta found himself having to take a deep breath to compose himself and looked away further down the hallway.

"I'm sorry...this is awkward, right?" Souta voiced finally, rubbing the back of his head almost nervously. "I...I'm sorry..." Souta knew well enough how he felt about Zero...he'd done lots of stupid, stupid things...things that he'd tried not to think about, but in his heart he didn't regret it. He didn't regret kissing him, or allowing himself to be stupid enough to fall for him...he only couldn't believe that he'd done such a thing.

"You're always apologising to me." Zero hissed. "What the hell have you done this time?"

"Pissed you off, apparently." Souta replied, running his tongue across his throbbing fangs. He felt somewhat agitated. Zero too felt the same. "So, do you have something in mind?"

Zero did not expect that. He was sure that by now, he was breathing heavily. "Just...just show me my room..." Zero replied, he really couldn't think of anything...and trying to deny the odd sensations rising within him he only hoped that he would get away...go and lie down somewhere...it was a few seconds before he realised that Souta had started moving again.

Souta opened the door to the guest room he'd supposed was Zero's, he could smell his scent inside the room from his belongings, and Zero passed through the door, his shoulder brushing gently against Souta's chest. Souta lowered his eyes, Zero's scent washed over him...he reached in and fumbled around the wall to find the light switch, only to have a small glow appear next to the bed as Zero turned on a lamp.

"There...there should be towels and stuff ready for you in the bathroom..." Souta breathed, sliding further into the room, he felt awful suddenly...wanting so much to just take Zero again...but he knew he couldn't. It would be nice if Zero wanted him. Souta felt his back pressing against the closed door, while the second one shut by his side.

Souta blinked, raising his eyes to meet with Zero's crimson ones as they looked down at him, breathing hard. Souta was almost certain...that Zero didn't want him in the same way...Zero longed for his blood and nothing more.

Souta felt a vibration through the door as Zero's fist hit it, probably in annoyance. His eyes remained shut; he felt his stomach coil, waiting for the bite, able to feel Zero's heavy breathing, making the hair stand up all along his body. A hand pressed against the side of his neck, and yet Souta felt warm lips against his own. Souta opened his eyes in surprise, his body went rigid, Zero's hand at his neck pulled him closer. Souta could feel the rise of heat in Zero's face, felt the uncertainty in the kiss...without so much hesitation, Souta lifted his arms to wrap around Zero's neck, and parted his lips to the kiss.

Zero stifled his shock, the heat continued to rise to his face as he felt Souta's body rise into his, hold onto him, lips parted almost forcefully by an eager tongue. Blood pumped heavily through his body, his arms wrapped around the smaller body, feeling the strength being drained from him as he stumbled blindly backwards. Souta pressed his lips harder against Zero's, heat pulsing through him, so eager, so wanting, feeling his body trembling...frightened...he didn't want Zero to push him away, he would never forgive him if he pushed him away.

Zero let a groan pass his lips, their lips parted only for a moment, Souta looking deeply into Zero's hazy crimson eyes, glancing over his shoulder towards the bed that was only a few feet away. Souta pressed his lips against Zero's again, running his tongue over those throbbing fangs, his fingers fumbling with the jacket that Zero still wore, tearing it from his shoulders and throwing it aside.

Zero gasped as his legs hit the bed, dropping down onto it onto his back; Souta's mouth claimed his again, nipping softly at swollen lips as his knee slipped between Zero's legs. Zero's head tilted back, groaning again, Souta's kisses carrying on down his throat, knee rubbing against the embarrassing bulge in his trousers...Souta smirked against the flesh of Zero's throat, tongue trailing over that enticing tattoo, moving along the adam's apple, nibbling gently against his throat, Zero's hands he felt against his arms, he didn't know what he was doing, Souta could feel his uncertainty, but he didn't mind. He found it enticing.

Zero could hear only his heart beating in his head; felt only the tongue against his throat, his body trembling from the contact, almost entirely unable to believe what he was doing. He felt throbbing fangs against his throat; he wrapped his arms around Souta's neck, holding onto him, pulling him tighter. He couldn't stifle another groan that he felt growing in his throat, he grit his teeth together, arching himself into Souta's almost poisoning kisses.

Souta didn't like all those clothes. He needed to get closer, needed to taste more and more of the body beneath him. He brought his lips away from Zero's, unbuttoning Zero's shirt quickly, feeling Zero's fingers tugging at his own, pulling it up over his head to expose his scarred chest. Souta looked down at Zero's crimson eyes, glazed, feeling warm fingers as they ran almost carefully over the scars along his torso. Souta brushed Zero's hair away from his eyes, looking deep into them; a longing crease appeared between his brows.

"Do you really want this?" Souta found himself asking, his breath was laboured, his stomach clenched resting forwards into the throbbing body beneath him. Zero blinked, dazed, lost...his body filled with a sweltering heat a total longing and want for something that he felt was so far away, yet so close.

Souta leant forwards, brushing his lips over Zero's able to taste him, breathe in his scent...feel every inch of him beneath his fingertips. "_Bite me_," Souta wasn't so certain of what he'd heard. He looked deep into the dazed eyes of Zero; warm hands ran along either side of his face, through long black hair. Zero moved closer, their lips touching again as he took control for maybe the first time. Zero wanted it so badly just then he felt that he could beg for it. And Souta wanted so much to give it to him, he wanted to give into the request, he wanted to much to sink his fangs deep into that warm flesh, to taste that rich blood upon his tongue again...and yet he found himself hesitating.

Souta brought his lips away, suddenly he felt like he'd been bitch slapped by his conscience...and before he could stop himself he spoke words he knew that would make Zero flinch. "You don't really want this...not really..."

"I'm tired of being angry..." Zero replied his voice soft, tilting his head aside as he lowered his head back down onto the bed. "I'm so tired of hating...for once...for once I don't want to care..."

Souta almost at once granted him this. He crashed their lips together again, longing for every inch of him, able to feel the cold metal of a belt buckle against his fingers, able to feel the small movements of Zero's oh-so-sensitive body beneath his own.

"How – can you want me – after – all I've said and done – to you?" Souta managed to get out between breathes as they shifted their positions, Souta's question fell upon deaf ears, a body filled with eagerness as it awaited the bite that he felt he so needed...that he so wanted, those lips that had teased him before – that had promised him would not bite. Zero never thought he could want it...but he just didn't care anymore.

"_Stop teasing me_..." Zero hissed, his fingers clutching tightly onto the thick duvet beneath him, a knee rubbing against his groin in a provoking manner, fingers fumbling skilfully with his belt buckle in order to help release his burden.

Souta smirked against the flesh of Zero's throat, running his tongue along a throbbing vein, begging to be bitten, he could feel it rising within him...this need and want to do this...he'd been waiting for Zero's permission, he didn't think that he would receive it after what had happened when he'd lost control. And yet here he was, with Zero's body trembling from lust and want beneath him, almost begging him to take his blood.

Just as fangs broke through the flesh of his throat, Zero groaned into Souta, wrapping his arms around him, pulling him closer and closer, lapping at the sensation left behind as Souta's tongue ran along the puncture wounds, moaning as teeth broke the flesh again, lips sucking and sucking. Zero didn't want to be angry anymore...he'd wanted to be, he'd wanted to pretend...but now he didn't want too...he couldn't pretend that he wasn't enjoying this, he couldn't stifle the moans or the want he felt deep within him...or the attraction that he felt towards Souta for reasons that he couldn't even begin to comprehend. He hoped he would have time to figure it all out...some day. Just then, he wanted to enjoy it. To bask in his confusion and his lust.

Souta lapped at the wounds, filling himself with that blood, he would not spill any of it, he would not stain the sheets or his flesh, he lapped at it lovingly, taking in it all wholly, running his tongue in soothing movements over the wounds. Zero shuddered beneath him, Souta's arms were balanced either side of his face, holding him up as he licked at the wounds, sucked at them and continued to draw in the blood. He felt it like fire upon his tongue, he'd longed for the taste of it...he'd dreamt about taking it, about ravishing Zero...although they probably should have been nightmares.

He felt no guilt, only longing, lust and want, he did not want Zero to regret this...he didn't want to be hurt...yet he took these chances – he should have pushed Zero away, should have been stronger against it – but he couldn't deny Zero. He couldn't do it.

The belt was undone, the pants were lowered, and Souta planned on taking all that he could get before Zero finally came to his senses. Souta never wanted Zero to forget him, and he wanted to make certain that he left his longing mark.

...

Kaede placed her cup back onto the saucer as she listened to the Chairman as he continued to talk. She loved the passion in his voice, the truth and love for his ideals and what he was attempting to achieve at Cross Academy. Kaede would support him gladly all the way.

And yet as he was speaking, she allowed her eyes to linger briefly towards the far side of the room, and yet she was not particularly looking at anything. Her lips curled into a smirk as she folded her hands onto her lap, taking the Chairman's brief moment of silence as he reached for a small sandwich from one of the trays set out ahead of him. Her smirk he did not notice at once, though when he turned to her, intent on continuing what he was saying, he noticed a far off look to her topaz eyes and the flicker of excitement within them.

"Is everything okay, Kaede-san?" he inquired, watching her blink as her powerful topaz eyes fell over him again; her smile was bright and almost heart wrenching.

"Oh yes, everything is fine," she smiled warmly, tilting her head slightly to the side. The scent of blood upon the air. "I was going to ask you, Chairman," she brought her tea to her hands again, she felt deeply triumphant inside. "I know it's sudden, but with your permission, would it be alright if Souta returned to Cross Academy?"

...

Well that's it! This is probably going to be the last thing that I'm _ever_ going to post on Fan-Fiction, and I'd like to let everyone know that it has been a pleasure!

There _won't_ be a sequel, I totally promise you this, and I allow you to make of what you will with what happens between Souta and Zero at the end of this chapter – it would be a lemon, but I really can't write them and I'd rather just leave it to your imaginations, you fangirls you!! I know you can do it haha...

I sincerely hope that you've enjoyed! And as I've said, drop me that _one last review_ – it really would mean a lot to me.

Much love,

SabakuKyuu17 x x x x


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